


A Girl From Midvale

by ThisOldThing



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: A "What if Alex had been slightly suspicious/wary of L-Corp/Lena when she was new in town" fic, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Identity Reveal, Idiots in Love, Just Lena and Kara and the good ol' DEO, M rating for eventual smut, No Daxamites at all, Not a Sanvers fic, Season 2 AU, SuperCorp, no mon-el
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2019-12-30 07:12:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 125,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18310742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisOldThing/pseuds/ThisOldThing
Summary: L-Corp CEO Lena Luthor thinks her girlfriend, journalist Kara Danvers, is just a girl from Midvale, and not telling Lena the truth about her identity as Supergirl is eating away at Kara. She doesn't tell Lena because Alex and the DEO have asked her not to, because they are suspicious about L-Corp's possible ties to Lex, Lillian and their anti-alien terrorist activities. What happens when their truths come out? Can they all forgive each other when things fall apart?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> FYI: The prologue is the only part in second person; the rest of the story is in third person.

The first time you touched Lena Luthor was a handshake in her office, and you were so nervous you almost forgot to let go. To be honest, you were also a little afraid. You knew what Kal-El—standing tall and broad by your side—went through with Lex Luthor, and the thought that Lena might be anything like her older brother was intimidating. But you left the meeting feeling differently than you had expected. You believed Lena. 

She flattered you after Kal’s article was published, but it felt genuine, and the next time you visited her for a quote for your burgeoning reporting career, you saw a spark of something in her that you think others might have missed. They were too busy seeing the Luthor name, the money, and her brilliance, but she smiled at you with a sincerity that leaked around the edges of her bravado. It made you make choices you weren’t sure you should make, forge a friendship with someone everyone else thought might be close to slipping down the same path as her mad family. You felt happy when you spent time with her.

The first time you touched her as a potential lover, you were so nervous you almost didn’t go through with it. A kiss in her office, moments after rambling about how insanely jealous you were of her ex. Jack Spheer had come to town for a conference, they had gone to dinner, and you had almost broken your phone in your hand when she didn’t reply to your texts that night. Nothing happened between them—he tried to win her back, she demurred—and when she told you that she hadn’t gone back to him you were so relieved that you confessed everything. Confessed every time you thought she was beautiful, every time she smelled good, and every reason why, if she was going to get dressed up and go out to dinner with anyone, it should be with you. She stared at you from where she sat next to you on her couch, shocked, and then smiled, a small thing that turned brilliant as you stared, awe-struck that you had finally said what you had been thinking for weeks. You kissed her then, and it was perfect. She laughed in a way that made you steal it from her lips with another kiss. You have never kissed anyone like that, or been kissed with such care and affection in return. When you flew home after—you couldn’t keep your feet on the ground you were so happy—you felt like the sun was shining on your face in the middle of the night.

You didn’t tell anyone that you were seeing Lena at first. Not even Alex. It was so new, and you knew what others would think. Truth be told, you loved that she was seperate, that Lena only saw you as Kara Danvers. It made you feel normal. Human. For two weeks you stole kisses and time together and then you realized that the feelings you were feeling were stronger than you expected. So you invited her to game night and tried not to show your hurt when it didn’t go as well as you’d hoped. Winn and James were standoffish, and Alex and Maggie were wary. Lena never let on that anything was off, but you could tell by the end of the night that she was a little bruised. She’d tried so hard. Smiling, interjecting her own anecdotes as the gang discussed everyday life over beers and games. You kissed her temple gently as she helped clean up after everyone left and she smiled, not knowing you’d see it. 

The next day you confided in Alex that you wanted to tell Lena about who you really were and she talked you out of it. There was still too much suspicion around L-Corp, Alex said, too much unknown about Lena, and you were ashamed when Alex convinced you to wait. It left you feeling uneasy, but Alex was so convinced that it was the right thing to do, that you listened. Lillian was still at large and there was something going on at Belle Reve where Lex was being held. The reasons Alex ticked off why your identity should stay a secret were numerous and reasonable, so you waited. And every day as you waited, and Lena brought up Supergirl, or you had to rush off in the middle of a date, a little part of you died inside. 

The first time you made love was the first time you made love. It was scary, you were nervous, and you know Lena was surprised with how tentative you were. You were honest with her that it was your first time, but in the moment Lena took it to mean your first time with a woman, and you were too flustered to correct her. Not because you were ashamed but because you felt so guilty, guilty to your bones, that you allowed yourself to get caught up in the moment and let things go as far as they did.

She didn’t know about your super strength.

How easy it would be for you to hurt her accidentally if you were to allow yourself to get caught up in her lips, or her curves, or the breathy moans she made when she was pressed against you. You went a full week after your first time without making love again because her not knowing was eating you up inside. She was patient and gentle, and you could tell she was concerned. She even let you know in a stumbling voice that if sex wasn’t what you wanted from a relationship with her she was ok with that, and you almost blurted out the truth right then. She couldn’t ever think that you didn’t want her, because Rao, you want her. When you clarified to her that she was your first lover, she took the news with wide-eyes and apologies, afraid that she pressured you, and you had to reassure her that you were ready. You were ready for so much more—for her to know everything about you—but you don’t tell her that. Instead you played the roll of naïve, nervous girl, which wasn’t too hard to do given your lack of experience and the situation. Your physical relationship with Lena from that point on was careful. Slow. She was a saint and you wondered if even after she knew you were Supergirl if you’d ever be able to show her how much you desired her. You confided in Alex how afraid you were. She was sympathetic but had no solutions. That led to the most awkward conversation of your life—asking Winn if there was a technical solution to your problem. He agreed to look into it, and he initiated the research project, “Operation Kara: Bow Chicka Wow Wow,” and you felt slightly relieved through your deep red blush.

You’d been dating for five weeks when the first attack happened. It was scary, but you were there, Supergirl was there, and Lena was safe. The big flying billboard that crashed into L-Corp’s helipad, a calling card from some new big bad claiming anti-alien sentiments, was terrifying. It was on that day that Lena learned that Alex didn’t work for the FBI, that she worked for the DEO, and you lied to Lena’s face about who you were. It made you feel sick to your stomach because she talked to you, Kara, differently than she talked to you, Supergirl, about what had happened, and the vulnerability, the humiliation she’d surely feel at knowing you were the same person, clawed at you. She slept in your bed that night and you held her and wondered how long you’d have to keep pretending, hoping that when you could be honest she wouldn’t feel too betrayed. Because you loved her with your whole heart, and surely she’d know that and forgive you. 

Lena was afraid of her last name. She didn’t say so, but you knew it was true. Sometimes you would think she was afraid of what it would do to her, what it would take from her. It was easier to see this fear when you were Supergirl because she sought Supergirl’s approval in a way she didn’t when you were Kara. You wondered if she would still be as candid when she found out the truth.

There were still a lot of people working for L-Corp who had worked for Lex, who remained loyal to Lex, and that was reason enough for the DEO to decide to investigate L-Corp for potential ties to the person behind the attack. They put Alex in charge of the investigation. It was infuriating, but the DEO approached it in a logical manner, cold and calculating. “Ruling things out,” J’onn had said and Alex had raised an eyebrow at the face you’d made. Lena was upfront and helpful with the DEO’s requests, though you could tell it made her indignant to have her company under a microscope, and Alex was kind but wary when she interacted with Lena. The whole situation made every day feel like you were teetering on some sort of shaky tightrope that threatened to pitch you off at any moment. But you kept up the charade because Alex and J'onn asked you to, because the DEO didn’t trust L-Corp—“L-Corp, not Lena,” Alex clarified—though you sometimes wondered if Alex really believed that. It stole a little bit of joy from your life. Skimmed a little bit of the overwhelming happiness you felt at being in love with Lena. 

But being in love was the important part, so you held on to it with your whole heart. You were in love with Lena. And she was soft, and warm, and she made you feel safe in a way you hadn’t felt on Earth before. She told you that she loved you and it was the brightest you’d ever felt. You told her you loved her and it was the most content you’d ever felt. Your life on Earth finally made sense. You were there to be Alex Danvers’s sister. To protect the people of National City as a reporter and Supergirl. And to be in love with Lena Luthor. 

You’d been dating for eight weeks when the second attack came. The DEO had anticipated something, there were whispers that something was coming, but they missed the mark on the scale. This attack was more complex, more coordinated than the first, and you couldn’t get to Lena because one part of the multi-pronged attack was an attack on you, Kara Danvers, junior reporter at CatCo and Lena Luthor’s girlfriend. You watched on the TV feeds in Cat Grant’s old office, masked gunmen at your back, as live coverage of a bomb stamped LuthorCorp was planted in a school full of kids. You listened as Alex talked in your ear about masked gunmen in Lena’s office at L-Corp, and for the first time in a long time you felt completely powerless. The feeling was short-lived—you had work to do—and so you went about your duties at super speed. You saved everyone in CatCo while Alex made her way to L-Corp. You flew to the school and moved the bomb to a safe location so it could detonate away from people. And then you shattered the sound barrier over the desert as you headed for Lena. 

Everything after that…


	2. Chapter 1

Alex stood on the balcony outside of Lena’s office, scanning the sky. Her eyes picked up a dot flying and she squared herself, readied herself, as the dot grew larger by the second.

Kara landed heavily on the balcony, coiled anger, and Alex started to back up as Kara strode toward the door. “Kara,” Alex said quietly through gritted teeth but Kara brushed by her. Alex set her jaw and turned. “Supergirl,” she barked in her most authoritative tone. Kara stopped well short of the door and turned, and Alex cocked her head in reproach. Kara blinked once, her eyes shining with angry tears. She looked over her shoulder, though the glass to find Lena sitting on her couch, a tumbler in her hand. Lena was looking at the commotion on the balcony with a crinkle in her brow. “Take a breath,” Alex quietly instructed.

Kara turned back to her sister, tilted her head up and took a breath, her fists tight by her side. 

Alex took a step closer, her head down, voice quiet. “You can’t go running in there like–“

“My girlfriend was just attacked and I’m scared to death?” Kara asked, her voice strangled and low as she faced Alex and the city beyond.

“She’s fine,” Alex said. 

Kara looked at Alex with disbelief. Lena wasn’t fine; she couldn’t be fine, not after what had just happened. And Kara couldn’t even comfort Lena, couldn’t even– “This isn’t fair to her,” Kara said, shaking her head in disgust. “She deserves to know.“

Alex looked away. 

“Alex, I can’t hide who I am from her forever.”

“Forever?” Alex said, her brows arching to her hairline as she stared at Kara. Alex tried to return her face to neutral. “Look, I know that it might feel–“

“Is everything all right out here?” 

Kara turned to see Lena standing warily in the doorway. 

“Everything’s fine,” Alex said as she stepped around Kara. As she stepped between her and Lena. “Supergirl was just stopping by to give me an update on what happened.”

“And?” Lena asked, her gaze turning from Alex to Kara.

At Alex's sharp look, Kara reluctantly stepped into her Supergirl posture, hands on hips, shoulders squared. “The men who attacked L-Corp and CatCo are securely locked away in a government facility.”

Lena nodded, then hesitated. “Supergirl.”

Kara stepped forward slightly.

“Could you.” Lena stopped and looked from Alex to Kara. “I need to have a word with Agent Danvers, alone.”

“Of course,” Kara said, disappointed. She took a small step back.

Lena nodded slightly. “Your super hearing…” She met Kara’s eye.

Kara’s jaw dropped. “Right,” she sputtered. “I’ll just…” She glanced at Alex, who looked at her with a mixture of wariness and sympathy. Kara nodded to Lena and lifted off and flew backwards until she rested just along the top edge of a building about a mile away. 

Kara didn’t have the heart to explain to Lena that she could still hear them if she chose, that distance didn’t necessarily equal discretion when it came to her powers. Instead she honed her hearing in on birdsong on the outskirts of town and watched as Lena and Alex went back into Lena’s office. Watched, as Lena turned her back to the window and spoke in what was probably a quiet voice. Kara watched Alex nod, say a few words and then look away before nodding again and saying a curt goodbye. Kara watched as Lena watched Alex leave, watched as Lena deflated a little as she moved to her couch and sat, heavily. Watched as she picked up a tumbler of something and pulled it to her chest, her gaze absently trained on the floor in front of her desk. Kara waited a beat before flying back to the office balcony. She landed softly and made her way to the open door. “Ms. Luthor?”

Lena looked up. 

“Are you all right?” Kara asked as she walked into the office.

Lena smiled at that. She pursed her lips and swallowed hard. “I’m fine, Supergirl, thank you.”

“Really?” Kara asked, coming to a stop on the other side of the coffee table. “Because you don’t–“

“You don’t have to stay,” Lena interrupted. “I don’t think anyone else will be barging through my office doors with machine guns today.”

“I want to stay,” Kara replied quickly and Lena looked up, confused. Kara couldn’t bear the scrutiny so she looked away. 

“Why?”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked, looking back to Lena.

“Why do you want to stay?” Lena asked. “Surely you have something better to do.”

“Because I care about you,” Kara blurted before tacking on, “I, care about all of National City’s residents.” Lena rolled her eyes and bobbed her head. “And because, Kara Danvers cares about you.”

Lena’s gaze turned sharply back to Kara and Kara’s brow knit at the unidentifiable look in Lena’s eyes. Lena’s jaw flexed and she looked down to the tumbler in her hands. 

“Have you called her?” Kara asked softly. She knew the question was unfair because she knew the answer: Lena had not.

Lena shook her head.

“She must be worried sick,” Kara said, because she was worried sick. Kara was certain that this version of Lena—aloof and brash—wasn’t who she would be if she were talking to her girlfriend. 

Lena absently nodded her head. “Kara’s sister, Agent Danvers, doesn’t like me.”

Kara was caught off guard by the statement. “I– I don’t think that’s true.”

“Trust me, it is,” Lena said, meeting Kara’s eye. “Things like this attack don’t help.”

“Well, no, they probably don’t,” Kara reluctantly agreed. “But there were three sites attacked today, and Agent Danvers chose to come here.”

Lena pressed her lips together, her brow furrowed as she considered Kara’s words. “She loves Kara.”

“She does,” Kara said, smiling. “And she loves the people Kara loves.” She waited until Lena looked at her. “Agent Danvers has a big heart. If you feel some resistence… Just, give her time.” Kara’s smile dimmed as Lena looked away, obviously unconvinced. The way Lena was acting was twisting Kara’s stomach in knots. “Ms. Luthor, what happened today wasn’t your fault, and when the DEO figures out who did this–”

“My brother did this,” Lena replied bitterly. “Or my mother. Or any number of enemies who hate me because my last name is Luthor.”

Kara frowned. She met Lena’s eye and Lena looked at her for a long moment before turning her gaze away and taking a drink. “What are you going to do now?” Kara asked.

Lena tipped back the rest of the drink and placed the empty tumbler on the coffee table. She waited for the alcohol to clear her throat and then spoke. “I’m going to get back to work.” She stood and started to make her way to her desk. 

“Are you sure?” Kara asked, following Lena as moved behind her desk. Lena stopped by her chair and looked to Kara. “You’ve had a rough day. You should go home, get some rest. See your girlfriend.”

“Thank you, Supergirl.”

Kara pursed her lips and watched, concerned, as Lena booted her computer and sat in her chair. She really was going to work. After a long moment of Lena ignoring her for the folders on her desk, Kara quietly walked to the balcony and flew away. 

She didn’t fly far. Even with L-Corp’s building crawling with DEO agents she couldn’t let Lena out of her sight. Not after what happened today. Kara flew to a building nearby and landed on the roof. She could see Lena clearly from there. She would respect Lena’s privacy, tune her hearing on birdsong as she had before, but she needed to see Lena, be able to get back to her office if something were to go wrong. Kara stood in the sunshine, the wind lightly blowing her hair and cape, and she worked her jaw, angry and tense. She hadn’t been there during the attack. She’d been at CatCo, been busy with her own gunmen. That she hadn’t been there for Lena gnawed at her.

Minutes went by and Kara grew more and more impatient. Something was wrong, Lena was avoiding her. Lena knew from Alex that the attack at CatCo was resolved, that Kara Danvers was safe, so why wasn’t she trying to contact her, see her? Unable to take it any longer, Kara pulled her phone free from her boot and texted Lena. 

Kara: Are you ok?

She watched as Lena picked up her phone from its place on her desk, looked at the screen and then put it down. Lena’s hands moved to her head and she rubbed her temples. 

Kara frowned. After the last attack’s interviews with the DEO were over, Lena had practically run to Kara’s apartment, to her arms, to her bed. But now… “Winn, I need a secure line to Alex.”

“Yup,” Winn said in her ear. “You’re through.”

“Kara?” Alex said. 

“What did she say to you?” Kara asked, her eyes still on Lena.

Alex sighed. “Please don’t put me in this position.” 

“Alex,” Kara warned.

Alex sighed again. “She wanted to make sure that you, Kara, was all right and that the DEO was doing everything in their power to make sure Kara Danvers was safe.”

Kara’s jaw tightened. “She shouldn’t have to worry about that, I am safe, I’m Supergirl.”

There was a loaded pause before Alex spoke. “I told Lena that DEO agents escorted you home from CatCo, so that’s where you should go.”

Kara frowned. “But the men from the attack–“

“J’onn and I have that. Go home. Lena is probably heading your way right now.”

“She’s not,” Kara said. She could see Lena at her desk, shoulders hunched, her hand rubbing the back of her neck.

“OK, well, she will soon, probably,” Alex said. “Kara, I wanted to give you a heads up that there will be a couple of agents outside your building.”

“Why?” Kara asked, irritated.

“It was that or Lena sending over L-Corp guards and–”

“Yeah, OK,” Kara sighed, frustrated. 

“Are you OK?” Alex asked. 

“No.” 

“We will figure this out.”

“When?” Kara said, her voice tense. “This is the second attack in three weeks, and Alex, this one–“

“She’s OK,” Alex said. “Everyone is OK. Concentrate on that. The alarm we set up worked, our L-Corp response plan worked–“

“It’s not enough.”

“It is for now.” Kara didn’t respond. “Kara?”

“I have to go,” Kara said and she abruptly hung up. She watched as Lena picked up her phone and began to type. A moment later, Kara’s phone buzzed. 

Lena: I’m fine, are you ok?  
Kara: Yes. I want to see you

She watched Lena pause. Kara knew she shouldn’t be doing this, shouldn’t be sitting on a building a mile away watching Lena. She was abusing her powers, Lena deserved her privacy, but after everything that had happened… Lena picked up the phone again and typed. 

Lena: I have some things I need to do at the office. Yours, later?  
Kara: I’ll be waiting  
Lena: I’ll text when I’m on my way  
Kara: xoxox  
Lena: See you then

Kara sighed, still sure something was wrong, but accepting that it might be a while before Lena left the office. Kara opened her notes file on her phone and reluctantly got comfortable so she could start composing the story on the afternoon’s events that Snapper had assigned her for the special evening edition. She glanced at Lena, at her hunched shoulders, and Kara frowned before turning her attention back to her phone.

****************************************************************************************************

It was well after dark, but Kara didn’t say anything about the time when she opened the door to her apartment. She just pulled Lena inside, shut the door, and kissed Lena as gently as her fear and self-control would allow. After a long, reassuring kiss, Kara broke apart and pressed her forehead against Lena’s. “I was so scared,” Kara said. “I was so scared they’d hurt you.”

“It’s OK,” Lena said softly, her hands resting gently on Kara’s waist. “I’m OK.” Lena pulled back and opened her eyes. “Are you OK?”

“Yes.” 

Lena nodded, her expression drawn. “Alex said Supergirl was at CatCo.”

“Yeah,” Kara said guiltily.

“Good.” It was all Lena could seem to manage to say.

“I. I need to talk to you,” Kara said, her gaze never leaving Lena’s face. 

“Yeah.” Lena looked down and then back up, her hands dropping from Kara’s waist. “I have something to talk about as well.”

“Me first?” Kara asked and Lena nodded almost robotically in reply. Kara removed Lena’s jacket and hung it with her purse by the door, noticing how stiff Lena seemed to be as she took a couple of halting steps into her apartment. It was unnerving. Lena was usually at home in her place, but tonight she stood still, waiting to see what Kara wanted, where she wanted her to go. Kara laced their fingers and walked Lena to the couch. They sat opposite each other, each nervous. 

“Lena… I.” Kara stopped suddenly, fear roiling her stomach. She couldn’t do this. Knew she needed to do this. She exhaled heavily and Lena squeezed her hand, reassuringly, and the words fell out of Kara's mouth. “There’s no easy way to say this.” Kara let go of Lena’s hand, and slowly removed her glasses. She swallowed hard as she placed her glasses on the coffee table, her gaze averted to the ground, and then she lifted her head and looked Lena in the eye. “I’m Supergirl.” 

Lena gaped, and for a second Kara forgot how to breathe at the look on Lena's face.

“I’m so sorry for not telling you sooner,” Kara whispered as air rushed into her lungs. “I hated keeping it a secret from you. Today when I was at your office…” She squeezed her hands into fists and swallowed around the lump in her throat.

Lena absently covered one of Kara’s hands with her own and squeezed. “It’s all right,” she sputtered. 

Kara exhaled, her breath shaky, her eyes on Lena’s hand covering her own. When Kara looked up, the small bit of relief she felt at Lena’s touch faded. Lena looked pale, her gaze downcast. “Are you OK?” Kara asked cautiously.

“I’m rewriting the last seven months of my life,” Lena said, her voice wavering. She looked up and really looked at Kara, and Kara fought the urge to look away. After a long while, Lena let go of Kara’s hand and put her hands together on her lap. Her gaze drifted to the glasses on the coffee table. “How do they work? How do they make people see something other than the truth?” she asked as looked back to Kara. 

“Alex’s father made them for me to help me control my powers when I first got here,” Kara said, looking from Lena to the glasses and then back. “He used materials from the ship that brought me from Krypton. The, frames are lined with lead to suppress my powers, and the plexiglass allows me to project an image of myself that I want people to see… How I see myself.” Kara’s brow knit and she paused a beat. “You don't seem surprised.”

Lena was silent.

“Did you know?” Kara asked, surprised to find that she was slightly hurt that it might be an option.

“Know?” Lena asked. “No. But surprised…?” Lena shook her head. “The two best people I know—the only, two people who have ever believed I’m anything other than just another Luthor—are one and the same.” She shrugged, her eyes vacant. “That makes sense to me.”

“Are you angry?” Kara asked carefully.

“Relieved, actually,” Lena said with a sigh. She rubbed her hands on her thighs, and blinked her eyes as she took a deep breath. “It's going to make what I’m about to do easier.”

“What are you about to do?” Kara asked, her brow furrowing.

Lena paused for a long moment. “Kara, this isn't working.”

“What?”

“I’ve been trying to make it work between us but the truth is we’re going in different directions and–“

“Lena–“

“It's not working. Not for me.” Lena tilted her chin up and calmly met Kara’s eye.

Kara swore she felt her heart stop as Lena’s words sunk in. “Are you breaking up with me?”

Lena nodded. “I think it's best.”

“Well, you're wrong,” Kara said, indignant.

Lena pressed her lips together in a tight line. “I’ve been thinking about a move to Star City for a while now–“

“What?” Kara’s eyebrows shot to her hairline.

“And this recent attack helped me speed my decision up. I'll be moving next week.”

Kara just stared, dumbstruck.

“The L-Corp facility in Star City is more secure,” Lena continued patiently. “And has a better equipped lab for a project I'm overseeing–“

“Lena–”

“I’m sorry,” Lena interrupted strongly. “I just think we want different things.” 

“No.”

Lena briefly looked to her hands and nodded. When she looked back up, her gaze was impassive. “I moved to National City from Metropolis because it was the right thing to do for my company. A fresh start. L-Corp needed me here, and I had so many plans to rehab the Luthor name. But then I got distracted.” She looked meaningfully at Kara. “I don’t want to be distracted anymore.”

“But.” Kara paused and pressed her lips together. “What about the plans we were making?” she said, her voice soft and broken. They had so many plans, hatched in the dark, Lena’s body warm and tangled with hers. 

“Lovely ideas,” Lena allowed. “But distractions I can’t afford.” When Kara didn’t speak, Lena continued. “I know this must seem sudden–“

“Insane,” Kara interrupted, standing up and pacing away from the couch, wide-eyed. “It’s insane.”

“But it’s what I want.” 

Kara shook her head. Her throat felt rigid, her stomach sick. “I don’t believe you.” She licked her lips and stared at Lena. “I think today scared you.”

“Of course it did.” 

“And I think you’re pulling away from me because you’re scared.”

Lena was still, her voice practiced. “My brother is a madman, my mother a lunatic, and the world thinks I’m not much better. L-Corp is my chance to create a legacy of my own and right now I’m giving it less than it deserves.”

“And your legacy is more important than us?” Kara challenged.

Lena pressed her lips together and paused. “I know this isn’t what you want to hear.” Kara scoffed. “But it is happening,” Lena said firmly. “And I would appreciate it if we could part amicably.”

“OK,” Kara said, a pained smile on her face. “This…” She stopped and again swallowed hard. She shook her head, tears starting to sting her eyes. “I don’t understand.” Kara thought to that morning, how Lena had giggled in bed beside her as they woke up together. Lena had looked so beautiful, her skin had been so soft as they had burrowed together beneath the sheets, neither one wanting to face the work day. How could they have gone from that to this? “I don’t understand.”

“Why do you have to understand,” Lena murmured as she stood, her voice tense and taut. “Why can’t it just be enough that this is what I want?” She took a breath and tried to rein in her emotions. “I was selfish to allow our relationship to progress further than friendship. You were so kind to me, so unlike what I was used to that I grabbed on to it, but I need L-Corp to succeed. I need L-Corp to be more than what I do when I’m not with you, and I need L-Corp to be more than the place where Supergirl saves ‘the morally gray Luthor’.”

Kara felt that like a punch to her gut and when she spoke her words were strangled. “I fought with Snapper not to add that line.”

“I know you probably did,” Lena said coolly. She pressed her hands together and sighed. “There’s so many things I want to do, Kara.”

“Then do them,” Kara said. “But do them with me by your side, cheering you on.”

“I am needed in Star City; Supergirl belongs to National City.”

“I can fly, Lena, distance isn’t an excuse.”

“You’re right,” Lena said, nodding, obviously frustrated. “We could go on like this, me working longer and longer hours, you leaving at the drop of a hat to stop some imminent disaster until we hardly see one another. And then what?“

“It doesn’t have to be like that.”

“But it will be exactly like that,” Lena said sharply. “Because the truth is I don’t want to make time for this anymore. I haven’t for a while.”

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head. “You’re lying.”

“I’m, lying,” Lena said, eyebrows arched. “How many people know that you’re Supergirl?”

Kara opened her mouth and then shut it, ashamed.

Lena looked to the ceiling, exhaled, and then looked back to Kara with a incongruous smile. “It doesn’t have to end like this.”

“I don’t want it to end,” Kara said. “Lena.” She stopped and pressed her lips together. “I love you.”

“I know,” Lena said softly. “And I know that for the short term that will make this hard for you.” Lena paused and shrugged her shoulders. “But you’re Supergirl. You’ll be so busy being a hero that you won’t even miss me.”

Kara shook her head, her throat thick. “This isn’t you.”

Lena scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Funny how everyone in my life thinks they can tell me who I am but god forbid I ever speak for myself.” 

Kara grimaced. “You know I didn’t mean it like–“

“What?” Lena said. “My brother, my mother, Jack? You know I thought of Supergirl as a kind of mentor, which seems awfully strange now. She—you, you—told me to be my own hero. Well this is me doing it. I am moving to Star City and I am going to make L-Corp into my image.”

“No matter who it hurts,” Kara said, her lip trembling. 

Lena looked away.

Kara took in a deep breath and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She took another deep breath and then spoke, her voice low and choked. “And our friendship?” Kara looked to Lena, who reluctantly met her eye. “Because we were friends first.”

Lena demurred. “Do you really think staying in touch would make this easier?”

Kara’s lips twisted to keep from sobbing. “Please don’t do this.”

Lena took in a deep breath through her nose. She nodded, and then she turned and walked to collect her coat and purse by the door.

“Lena,” Kara called, surprised that Lena was actually moving to leave. Kara wanted to follow her, wanted to step in front of the door and insist on Lena continuing to talk, but she felt rooted to the spot, and she watched helplessly as Lena first pulled on her coat, and then pulled the straps of her purse over her forearm. 

Lena smiled wanly at Kara and put her hand on the doorknob. Her smile dissolved and Kara could hear Lena’s heart thundering in her chest. Lena nodded once, and then she was gone. 

Kara stared at the door, frozen. Lena would come back. She would get to the lobby and realize what a horrible mistake she was making, that she was just scared, and she would come back. But the minutes ticked by and she didn’t come back. There was no knock, no buzz of Kara’s phone with a text apologizing. After an impossibly long time, Kara finally let everything she’d been valiently holding inside out. She sank to the floor, and cried. 

****************************************************************************************************

Lena walked passed the no-neck men hired by L-Corp to guard her apartment without acknowledgement, her gaze impassive and her jaw tight. She entered her home and shut the door behind her, sliding the lock into place with a click. Her apartment was dark, and she made no move to turn on the lights. The city’s nighttime glow through the floor-to-ceiling bulletproof windows across the room would be enough. She rested her purse on the ground and then removed her coat, placing it on the rack next to the door, and then she stood still for a long moment before mechanically moving to the bar on the other side of her apartment’s great room. 

She bypassed the decanter for a bottle tucked back behind others on the shelf, a Scotch whisky she bought in Glasgow after Lex’s arrest. She pulled the cork from the top, the sound echoing in the large space, and she poured the amber liquid into a crystal tumbler. She stared at the tumbler when she was done pouring, the bottle held at a slight angle in her hand. 

Lex had fooled her, became a different person right under her nose until she had no choice but confront the deranged man he’d become. Her mother, with Cadmus, had fooled her, too. And Kara? 

_“How many people know that you’re Supergirl?”_

Lena squeezed her eyes shut tight. Kara hadn’t answered her question. Lena's face flushed bright red as she thought of how fooled she had been, how foolish she had been. All those times she had talked to Supergirl about Kara, confided in Kara about Supergirl. Did everyone else in Kara's life know the truth? The embarrassment of Kara’s deception burned through Lena until she felt as fragile as a pile of ash. She stayed still for a long moment, almost afraid to move, her knuckles white where she clenched the neck of the bottle in her hand. Her conversation with Kara played through her mind again and again and again, each time causing more and more heat to rise in her cheeks, before she finally stepped out of her heels and headed for her bedroom, glass left behind, bottle in hand. 

***************************************************************************************************

Alex stood beside a bank of monitors at the DEO and rolled her shoulders. She was tired of threatening the men who had attacked Lena. 19 hours of interrogation later and she still didn’t know anything other than that they were from St Roch, Louisiana and Metropolis, and that combination made Lex Luthor more and more likely to be the mastermind behind the attack. That, or where they were from was a ruse by Lillian so they would think Lex was responsible. That, or someone else who hated the Luthors and wanted the bread crumbs to point to Lex, or it was a coincidence, or– Alex sighed again, the sound coming out in a frustrated growl. She missed her bed. Maggie. Her brow furrowed as her phone buzzed and she saw the name on the screen.

“James,” Alex said, answering the phone.

“Is Kara with you?” 

“No,” Alex said, stopping what she was doing, her face turning concerned. 

“OK, well, she’s not at CatCo.”

Alex met J’onn’s eye and he cocked his head slightly to the side in question. “I’ll check it out,” she said. “Thanks.” She hung up and turned to more fully face J’onn.

“What?” J’onn asked.

“Kara’s not at work.”

“She’s probably with Ms. Luthor,” he said, a gentle smile on his lips.

“Maybe,” Alex allowed. “But can you see Kara not at least calling in sick?”

He nodded, seeing her concern. “Go.”

“Are you sure?” Alex asked, already stepping toward the exit.

“Go,” he repeated. Alex nodded and headed out.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex exhaled and dropped her hand to her side. Kara was still not answering her door after several knocks. Alex knew she had a decision to make. She could use her key and enter the apartment, and possibly interrupt something she definitely shouldn’t interrupt, or she could leave and try Kara’s phone again, assuming they were at Lena’s place playing hooky from the world after the previous day’s attack. Alex sighed, looked down the hallway toward the elevator, and then pulled her key from her pocket. 

She opened the door slowly, her face slightly scrunched up as she called around the door. “Kara?” When there was no answer, she straightened up and walked into the apartment, shutting the door behind her. “Kara, are you here?” Alex stopped as she saw Kara curled into a ball on the couch. “Hey,” Alex said, her voice slightly relieved to see that Kara seemed to just be taking an nap. Alex walked over to the couch. “James called and said you weren’t at work–“

“Lena broke up with me,” Kara croaked from her prone position on the couch. 

“She what?” Alex said, eyebrows arched. 

Kara sniffed and sat up, and Alex’s breath caught. Kara’s eyes were red-rimmed, her face puffy and tear-streaked. She was shaky, her lips trembling, and when she spoke her voice wavered. “She came over last night. Alex, I don’t understand.” Kara looked to Alex, her eyes lost. “When you got to L-Corp, after the attack–“

“She was Lena,” Alex said, reeling. “Rattled, but strong.” 

Kara sniffled again. Alex sat next to her on the couch and placed a reassuring hand on Kara’s back. “Why didn’t you call me?” Alex asked softly.

“I didn’t want to say it out loud,” Kara said, her face twisting in pain, and Alex shushed her, rubbing her back.

After a long moment, Alex spoke. “Did she give you a reason?” 

“She said we were going in different directions. That she wanted to concentrate on L-Corp.” Kara’s face twisted with barely concealed panic. “Alex, she’s moving to Star City.”

“What? OK.” Alex closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. Of all of the things she’d thought might be going on this morning, this was not one of them. She opened her eyes and looked back to Kara. She looked so small, so vulnerable. The opposite of a superhero. Alex didn’t know what to say, so she said the first thing that came to mind. “I’m sorry,” Alex shrugged and gathered Kara into her arms. “I’m so sorry.” Kara sobbed into her shoulder and Alex held her for a long while, smoothing her hand over Kara’s unbrushed hair. “She’s probably just scared.“

“That’s what I said,” Kara said, pulling back suddenly. She wiped her hands over her eyes and cheeks, Alex rubbing her hand over Kara's hair again. “But she seemed so sure.” Kara’s face contorted as she considered the words. “She seemed so, so sure that this was what she wanted.” Kara swallowed hard, Alex’s hand rubbing small circles on her back. “I told her, Alex.”

Alex’s brow knit. “You told her wh–“ She cut herself off as she realized what the what was, and she exhaled heavily. “When?” she asked patiently, trying not to vocalize the disapproval she felt.

“Right before she ended things last night,” Kara said. She looked to the ceiling, the tip of her tongue briefly touching her top lip. “Yesterday was so awful. The way she reacted to the attack was so…” Alex watched Kara closely as she dropped her gaze to her lap, her fingers picking at the sleeve of her sweatshirt. Kara sniffed in a breath and exhaled. “I couldn’t keep it from her anymore.” She nodded to herself, reassuringly. “Telling her was the right thing to do.”

“OK,” Alex said. She was quiet for a long moment as she considered her sister. This was foreign territory for both of them, and Alex was determined to tread lightly. “What can I do?” Kara met Alex’s eye and shrugged her shoulder, her eyes watery, and Alex nodded her head. “OK.” She rubbed her hand down Kara’s arm and then squeezed her hand as she took it in her own. “I’ll call J’onn and tell him I’m going to stay here–“

“No,” Kara said, wiping her face with her free hand. “You need to go back to work.”

“Kara,” Alex said, frowning.

“If you find out what happened with the attack yesterday maybe she’ll stay,” Kara said, and it killed Alex how hopeful she sounded.

“OK.” Alex nodded unconvincingly. “But I’m going to stay here for a little while first, OK?”

“OK,” Kara reluctantly agreed. Alex opened up her arms and Kara folded into her, and Alex squeezed as hard as she could so Kara could feel it. Alex leaned back on the couch and held Kara until she fell into a heavy sleep. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena’s head snapped up from her work as her assistant opened the door, her eyes narrowing when Alex angrily strode into the space, badge in hand. The assistant cast an apologetic look at Lena as he exited the office, and Lena leaned back in her chair, regarding Alex carefully as she tucked her badge away with a furious set to her jaw. “Agent Danvers,” Lena said calmly. “No need to drop by. I already spoke to your subordinate about the arrangements for the DEO presence at L-Corp’s Star City facility.”

“That’s not while I’m here,” Alex said sharply.

Lena cocked her head to the side and raised an eyebrow.

“You broke up with Kara?” 

“You mean Supergirl?” Lena asked and Alex tensed. “I thought you’d be happy.”

“She’s devastated.”

“She’ll get over it,” Lena said, briefly looking away.

Alex tried to hide her shock at Lena’s dismissive tone, and the sneer on Lena's lips added a little vitriol to Alex's voice as she spoke. “She will, because she’s the strongest person I know.” 

“Literally, I’m sure.”

Alex smirked at Lena’s quip. “So, what? You’re going to be petty because she kept a part of herself seperate from you?”

“I am not going to talk about this with you.” 

“Then you’re a coward.” Alex watched Lena’s fingers subtly curl into a fist on the arm of her chair. “Kara doesn’t deserve what she’s going through right now, not knowing why the person she cared about just up and left her without warning,” Alex said and Lena just stared, her cheeks flushing slightly. “You told her you loved her. You owe her more than just ‘going in different directions’.”

“It’s the truth.”

“Bull.”

After a long, silent standoff, Lena stood from her chair and walked around to the front of her desk. She leaned against the glossy white surface and folded her arms across her chest. “Do you know what I was thinking about the whole time those men were in my office, pointing machine guns at me?” Lena set her jaw. “I was thinking about Kara. And the gunmen knew it because their attack on CatCo was the first thing they brought up when threatening me. I had three machine guns pointed at me, a bomb made with tech tied to my company stashed at an elementary school in town, and all I could think about was whether Kara was hurt.” Lena paused. “Turns out loving someone, and being able to keep them safe, isn’t something a Luthor is allowed to do.”

“What a load of crap,” Alex said dismissively and Lena arched her brow, lips pursed in response. “Breaking up with her to keep her safe might have been a reason to end things before you knew she was Supergirl, but after? She can take care of herself.”

Lena scoffed, a wry smile pulling at her lips as she unfolded her arms and placed her hands on the desk. “My enemies could still hurt her if they were to find out I was dating Supergirl.” 

“Short of having Kryptonite–“

“They could kill Kara Danvers,” Lena said strongly, and she watched Alex’s brow knit. “Maybe not literally, but they could make it impossible for her to be the person she clearly wants to be, _deserves_ to be, independent of National City’s savior.” Lena paused, obviously warring with herself about what she was about to say. “She wants to be Kara Danvers. She wants to be a junior reporter at CatCo, who lives in a tiny apartment, eats far too much take out, and has weekly game nights with her friends. If one of my enemies finds out that Kara and Supergirl are one and the same…”

“They’ll unmask her,” Alex said, realizing Lena’s train of thought.

“They’ll make the one thing she wants most, to be Kara Danvers, impossible. And then, they’ll go after everyone she loves.” Lena cocked her head as she stared at Alex. “You know I’m right.” When Alex didn’t reply, Lena turned and walked back behind her desk. 

Alex exhaled. “You have no idea how much she’s gone through in her life.”

“No, I don’t,” Lena said as she stopped at her chair and met Alex’s eye. “Because she chose not to share that with me.”

Alex nodded her head curtly and sighed, resigned. “Star City is probably going to start seeing Supergirl in their skies from time to time.”

“My office won’t have a balcony.”

Alex shook her head, clearly amazed by how cool Lena was being. “You know, you think you’re protecting her but you’re not.”

“Then maybe what I’m doing is keeping myself sane,” Lena said. She paused for a moment. “Have you ever felt afraid of what you’d find if you looked at yourself too closely?”

“Yes.”

Lena nodded, her eyes tired and sad. “If anything happened to her, or to someone she loves because of me…” Lena took a breath and tilted her chin up. “Unless you want to see the villain origin story everyone has predicted me having since I was four years old, you’ll keep what I’ve said today to yourself.”

Alex's lips quirked into a smile. “Are you threatening me?”

“Warning you.”

Alex stared at Lena for a long moment. She noticed the extra make up on Lena’s face, no doubt an attempt to conceal the pronounced bags beneath her eyes. It looked to Alex like Lena barely slept the night before. “You look rough, Lena.”

Lena smiled wanly and tilted her head. “Moving CEO headquarters means late night phone calls with investors overseas.”

“Right,” Alex said dismissively. “I know a hangover when I see one.” She smiled pointedly and then turned to leave. 

“Agent Danvers.”

Alex stopped. Hearing Lena call her that was like nails on a chalkboard. She turned, eyebrow arched, and faced Lena.

“I wanted to thank you.”

“For?” Alex asked, confused and annoyed.

“Reminding me of what Kara has to lose if I stay.”

Alex flexed her jaw and left.

Lena watched as Alex stormed out, the door closing solidly behind her. Lena sank into her chair, her throat tight, and she took a shaky breath before turning back to her work. 

***************************************************************************************************

Alex entered her apartment to find Maggie smiling at her from the couch. The sight was still strange, Maggie only having moved in the week before, and it took Alex's brain a split second to recognize it as the new normal. “Hey,” Maggie said. 

“Hey,” Alex sighed in reply.

“Whoa.” Maggie’s brow knit as she watched Alex deposit her gun and badge on the counter and cross into the kitchen. “You look like you got hit by a truck. Rough day?”

“Yeah.” 

“Is everything OK?” Maggie asked, watching as Alex grabbed a beer from the fridge and started toward the couch.

“No.” Alex sat down on the couch and gave Maggie a kiss. 

“Can you talk about it?” 

Alex twisted off the cap on her beer and took a drink. She swallowed and looked to Maggie. “Lena broke up with Kara last night.”

“What?” Maggie asked, truly shocked. “What happened?”

“Lena told Kara that they were ‘moving in different directions’.” The more complicated truth sat thick on Alex’s tongue but she swallowed around it.

Maggie’s face twisted. “What does that mean?”

Alex shrugged and took a drink of beer. “Kara told Lena that she’s Supergirl.”

Maggie shook her head in a double take. “Before or after–“

“Before,” Alex said. “Just before, according to Kara.”

“Wow.” 

“And, Lena is moving to Star City next week.” Maggie stared at Alex, and Alex could tell from the stunned look on her face that she had shared too much information all at once. “Yeah,” Alex said, taking another drink.

“Oh my god. How’s Kara?”

“Devastated,” Alex said. She paused for a moment, picking at the label on her beer. “I saw her this morning and she was just…” There were no words to describe the hurt in Kara’s eyes. “I offered to stay with her tonight but she wants to be alone.”

“She’s probably hoping Lena will change her mind.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.”

Maggie’s brow knit. “You sound pretty certain.”

“Because I went to talk to Lena today.”

“Oh, Alex, you didn’t,” Maggie said, her face crumpling with disappointment. 

“I just wanted to talk.” 

“It’s not your place.”

“She hurt my sister,” Alex rebutted and Maggie put her hands up in surrender. When Alex looked away, Maggie dropped her hands to her lap. 

“OK,” Maggie said. “So? What happened?” 

“Well, first of all, she called me Agent Danvers.”

“Oh no. And second?”

Alex’s thumb picked at the label on her beer. “She’s not changing her mind.”

They sat quietly for a moment. “Poor Kara.”

Alex just nodded.

“Your poor mom.” Alex shot Maggie a funny look. “Eliza just started to be OK with the idea of Lena.” Alex rolled her eyes and Maggie paused. “I can’t believe Lena’s moving to Star City.”

“Yup,” Alex said. She shook her head and took another drink before settling into thoughtful silence.

Maggie looked at Alex for a long time. “What?”

“Everything about this feels wrong.”

“Well, yeah, Lena and Kara broke up, that’s just–”

“No, I mean.” Alex stopped. “These attacks, and now Lena’s actions… They feel connected.”

“They likely influenced her decision,” Maggie said and Alex raised a non-commital eyebrow. “You don’t think Lena has anything to do with the attacks,” Maggie said more than asked. 

“No,” Alex said reflexively. She met Maggie’s eye. “But doesn’t this seem wrong?” Maggie nodded, and Alex mimicked her action. “Yeah,” Alex said, sighing heavily and taking another drink of beer. “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! (Future updates won't come this quickly, but wanted to post something beyond the short prologue.)


	3. Chapter 2

Lex Luthor was a genius, and widely regarded to be the smartest human on the planet. He was also serving consecutive life sentences in a maximum security prison designed specifically for him by Superman, and yet David Decker had managed to get to him. 

David Decker, who was nothing more than a failing inventor/entrepeneur from Metropolis. He had managed to find a weakness in the system though, a guard at Lex’s prison, Belle Reve, that was almost as desperate as he was who could be bribed. Decker slipped the guard a propsal for Lex that turned out to be just intriguing enough to make the mad genius write him back. David Decker, who just wanted the smartest man he’d ever met to fix his invention so that his business wouldn’t go under and he wouldn’t bankrupt his investors. David Decker, who had bet his last $50,000 that Lex Luthor could fix his life. 

The fact that Luthor had agreed to help him seemed like a victory in and of itself. Luthor’s demands were fair and modest—all he asked was for Decker to publicly declare that he supported Lex’s anti-alien agenda and set aside one percent of Decker’s future earnings in a fund for Lex’s mother, Lillian, who had recently retired from her role on the LuthorCorp board. 

Decker agreed immediately. He didn’t read the news, he didn’t know Lillian was now a fugitive. And he didn’t know that the flying billboard that featured an anti-alien message that Lex had insisted Decker rent to fly around the new L-Corp building in National City was also wired with a bomb. Decker watched in horror as the billboard seemed to pilot directly toward the L-Corp tower, felt pure relief when the billboard was blown off course by Supergirl. The billboard exploded just above the building’s helipad, Supergirl’s last minute nudge saving everyone in the top four floors, including Lex’s sister, the new head of L-Corp, Lena Luthor. 

Hurting people wasn’t part of the deal, and Decker had almost pulled out of their arrangment after the attack, would have, if Lex hadn’t immediately apologized. Luthor was contrite, had explained that it wasn’t his intention to hurt anyone at L-Corp, just rattle his pro-alien sister with a taunting billboard, and that an old associate had gone rogue with the task. It was an apology that preceded hard news: Decker’s device—the one he had invested his entire life, his entire fortune in—was fatally flawed. Even a once-in-a-generation mind like Lex Luthor couldn’t fix it. Decker was stunned. Crushed. Yet before he could completely come apart, Lex offered him a life line. Another device, something better, something that would make Decker’s product look childish by comparison. A device that would make Decker obscenely rich. Decker was grateful. He asked what it was and Lex told him it was revolutionary, and left it at that. 

After a couple of weeks of radio silence, Decker received the device’s schematics along with a letter from Lex asking him to begin building it right away. Decker complied, hunkering down in his lab in Metropolis, only to receive another letter from Luthor shortly after asking him to shift operations to a lab Lex owned in National City. Decker balked—it was across the country, away from his business—but Luthor insisted, claiming there were resources in National City that Decker would need eventually to complete the project. Decker obliged, feeling obligated, and packed up his family. He rented a small house on the north side of National City, and got to work.

Decker spent long hours in Luthor’s warehouse lab. The device Lex had given him was a masterpiece of design, intricate and artful. Decker told Lex as much, praising his ingenuity, and the imprisoned man demured, explaining that as flattered as he was, he couldn’t take credit. It wasn’t his device. The device belonged to someone close to him—an inventor who was almost as genius and ruthless as he is was—who wanted to see it developed from the shadows. An “off-book project” was how Luthor described it, and although that should have thrown up red flags, Decker was too captivated by the promise of riches to pay much mind. He could ignore a little shadiness if it meant his business could be saved.

But what he couldn’t ignore were the increasing number of men arriving at the warehouse, setting up a second lab on the far side of the building. They were associates of Luthor’s, and Lex sought to reassure Decker of their presence, but it was difficult when Decker saw that most of them carried handguns discreetly beneath their jackets. Decker saw the men sneering at him, as if they knew more than he did about what was going on in their shared space, and it made him nervous.

Decker tried to shake it off. The device was exceptional, and the promise of it turning his life around was seductive. Decker told himself he could turn a blind eye to everything else. And he did, until the man with the scar showed up.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena needed space. 

That was what Kara concluded once her tears stopped. Once it was clear, after two days of devastating silence, that Lena wasn’t going to show up at her door offering another chance. Kara decided that she would give Lena the weekend, and then Monday after work she would march over to L-Corp and make her case for why Lena was making a horrible mistake. 

Kara woke before her alarm sounded Monday morning, her body practically vibrating with nerves, and dressed in an outfit that she knew Lena liked before making her way to CatCo. Kara exited the elevator, her mind still going over the speech she would give Lena after work, and her brow immediately furrowed. Something was wrong. Snapper was already incensed, his face already beet red, his shouts reverberating around the CatCo office. James intercepted Kara before she could fully enter the bullpen. “What’s happening?” she asked, her voice low, her eyes darting around and taking in the tense mood. Everyone was staring at her and she could hear Snapper’s voice echoing from Cat Grant’s old office. 

“Scooped! How in the hell do we get scooped on _this_!” Snapper screamed.

“Lena’s having a press conference in Star City,” James said, his voice and posture discreet. 

Kara’s jaw dropped. “What?” She stepped around him and looked to the wall of TVs in the other room, every screen featuring Lena. She was wearing a red coat and red lipstick and according to the cyron on the bottom of each screen, she was answering questions about why L-Corp’s CEO felt it necessary to move to Star City. 

“When will you start?” one reporter asked and Lena smiled, easy and bright.

“Today,” Lena replied. She shrugged her shoulder, cocksure and confident. “Why wait?”

Kara stood stock still, her wide eyes glued to the TV until James stepped into her line of sight and she blinked, her brow knitting as Lena’s face was replaced with his purple tie. “Maybe you should go home,” he said gently, and Kara looked to him, surprised to find him talking to her. “Snapper hasn’t seen you yet, I can tell him I sent you home because you’re still sick.”

“I,” Kara started, but no other words escaped her open mouth. She couldn’t speak. There weren’t words in her brain that she could make into sounds that would communicate her shock and sadness. She only moved when a hand fell on her shoulder. Kara flinched and she turned, dazed, to see Alex standing next to her. 

“Hey,” Alex said. She shared a brief look with James, who nodded his head slightly.

Kara didn’t reply, just stared at her sister. What was Alex doing at CatCo?

“Let’s go get some breakfast,” Alex said. She again shared a look with James and Kara’s brow quirked. Alex didn’t usually visit her at work like this. Alex put her arm around Kara’s shoulder and guided her to the elevator. They entered the car and when Kara turned, she saw several co-workers staring at her with their eyebrows raised. Kara dropped her gaze to her shoes and Alex’s arm tightened around her. 

The following week was a blur. 

National City had never been safer and Kara had never been more miserable. She felt every second acutely, the passage of time painstakingly slow, and no matter what she did to try and relieve the leaden feeling in her chest, how many people she helped as Supergirl, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had made a mistake somewhere that had led her to this interminable place in her life. 

Everything was awful. 

She hated coming home from work, hated watching TV on her couch—every room, every element of her apartment reminding her of Lena. She desperately missed Lena’s laughter, their kisses, the bed that had recently become one of Kara’s favorite places in the world because when she was in it with Lena she felt safe, happy and loved. Now her bed was the place where she laid awake, uncomfortable, hour after hour spent staring at the ceiling wondering how her life had turned so sharply until she had to rise and start each day over again, as if the world was supposed to make sense. By Thursday Kara decided she couldn’t sleep there anymore, instead setting up a sleeping bag in the living room. She didn’t have any Lena memories attached to the six feet along the wall beneath the windows between the entry way and her kitchen.

If being at home was awful, being at CatCo was hell. Every morning that Kara went to work was torture. She knew her co-workers gossiped about Lena’s move, she could hear some of their whispers even without super hearing. She tried to ignore it, but even when she could block it out she still had to deal with James’s overly-sympathetic, extra-judgmental face, and Snapper’s ever-increasing snide remarks and crappy assignments. Most days were spent slouched over her desk, her face the same color as the red marks saturating her rejected articles.

The DEO was no better. The agents there were more discreet than her CatCo co-workers, but Kara could still tell they talked about the break up, and worse, they all wore the same sympathetic/judgy face James did. J’onn had hugged her more times in the last week than he had in all previous years combined, and Winn had offered twice to be her wingman, “when the time was right”. And Alex. Alex was Alex. Supportive and strong, but something had changed between them and Kara couldn’t figure out it was that felt so wrong. 

It was like every single part of Kara’s life broke in unison and she had no idea how to fix any of it.

She tried not to think about Lena. She tried to avoid wondering what Lena was doing at any given time of day, avoid wondering what Star City was like, but wondering was like a loop in her brain that she couldn’t help getting sucked into. Did Lena have an apartment downtown, or a large house in the upscale area of the city? Did she have to bundle up more because Star City had fog in the mornings this time of year, or did she wear the same coats Kara had up until recently hung by her apartment door? Did Lena have a favorite restaurant already? Did she have people in her life that would grow to become friends? And most pressing of all in Kara’s mind: Did Lena have an office with a balcony? Kara tried, she tried so hard to leave it alone, but after two weeks she couldn’t take it anymore. She left work at lunch and gave in to her curiousity, taking to the sky in her blue and red suit and flying to Star City. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena was sure her employees in Star City were experiencing whiplash. They had gone from working independently of their CEO to having her in the L-Corp building seemingly 24/7. She caught the looks, the whispers, but she paid them little mind as she threw herself headlong into ramping up L-Corp’s considerable research capabilities. Lena had no idea what street she lived on, what her neighborhood was like or even how to use the television in her new penthouse apartment. She was in Star City to work, and so work she did. 

So it should have come as no surpise to her that it happened while she was at work, during a crucial meeting with her tech team in her office. There was a group gasp, and Lena looked up from the contracts she was reviewing on her desk to find her team staring at something behind her, their mouths agape. “What is she doing here?” Lena heard whispered from the back of the room, and her brow knit. 

Lena turned and looked out the window and saw her. Supergirl—Kara, wearing that iconic suit—was hovering 62 stories off the ground. Lena’s jaw went slack as she took in the sight. National City’s superhero was looking at the flow of traffic below, her cape fluttering around her, sunlight glinting off of her golden hair. Lena stared for a long moment, her expression frozen as she watched Supergirl—Kara, it was Kara flying outside her window—bring her gaze up and look around, as if memorizing the city’s layout. 

Lena wasn’t sure, but she suspected Supergirl—Kara—could hear her heartbeat through the building’s bullet-proof windows, because she turned her head and met her eye as if she expected to see Lena staring back at her. Supergirl—Kara, her Kara—smiled, gentle and sad, and Lena’s jaw tightened as she swallowed hard. “I don’t know why she’s here,” Lena said, trying to sound disinterested. She turned back to the papers strewn across her desk and focused on breathing. She looked back up to find her employees still all staring out the window. “Excuse me,” Lena said sternly and the people before her had the good sense to look sheepish.

“Sorry,” a man with a check shirt said. “I’ve just never seen that before except on TV, and it’s kind of awesome.” Everyone murmured their agreement.

Lena nodded grudgingly and then got back to work, her pen held so tightly in her hand that her knuckles turned white. She fought the urge to look back over her shoulder, the skin on the back of her neck practically crawling from the effort until she finally gave in and glanced back. The sky beyond her office windows was empty. 

Lena exhaled as she turned back to the contracts and let go of her pen. It rolled from her hand and stopped in the middle of her desk. “I’m sorry everyone,” she said, her eyes downturned. “I forgot that I have a call with our CFO in 5 minutes.” It was a lie, but one she wouldn’t be caught in telling. She tilted her chin up and straightened her back as she brought her fingers together before her. “I’ll sign these contracts and then send them down later today for your records. Brian, I expect your team to return a list of the new acquisition personnel you plan to keep on by Thursday.”

He nodded dutifully and the entire team shuffled out. The door closed behind them and Lena sagged into her seat. Her hands were trembling, and she quickly closed her fingers into fists. She was shaken, but she couldn’t let it show. Was Kara watching her, now, as she sat alone in her office? Lena subtly scanned the sky outside of her window, but knew that if Kara—Supergirl—wanted she could use her x-ray vision to watch her. Would Kara do that? 

Lena closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. She repeated the effort and then opened her eyes, focusing on a lamp sitting on a small table across the room. She felt dizzy, and she held onto the arms of her chair for support. Because moments ago Supergirl was flying outside of her window, and for the first time she could really see it—Kara as Supergirl, Kara flying, Kara wearing that suit, that crest, with all that it meant in Lena’s life up to this point and it was enough to make Lena want to scream. How could Kara—sweet, soft, _her_ Kara—be flying outside of her window? 

Confident she wouldn’t faint, Lena relaxed her hands and stood. She made her way to the wet bar along the left wall of her office and reached for a decaunter of whisky before stopping and opting instead for a carafe of water. She poured herself a drink and took a sip. Seeing Kara had blindsided her, and that made her angry. After Lena left Kara’s apartment in National City, Kara had made no attempt to contact her. Lena had actually been surprised, had girded herself for Kara to show up at her apartment in National City while she was packing over that weekend, but Kara had stayed away. Was it shame that kept Kara away? Or respect for the boundaries Lena was setting? If it were the latter, what had changed?

Lena took another sip of water and then placed the glass carefully on the counter. She took a breath and then turned, looking at the city scape once more and finding it empty. She took another breath and returned to her desk and the work she intended to bury herself in.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex strode down the hallway of the DEO quickly, her frame tense. J'onn had summoned her, grumbling that it was something to do with the most recent L-Corp attacks, attacks that she had been working for weeks with no bad guys to arrest. Alex needed this meeting to give her something, anything tangible that she could work because she needed to tell Kara something to help give her some closure. 

Because ever since Lena left, Kara was a mess and Alex didn’t know what to do to help. Kara practically paced the DEO like a caged tiger, looking for something to do, someone to pummel, something to break and she looked to Alex for answers she didn’t have. Logically Alex knew that information about the attack wouldn’t fix Kara’s broken heart, but maybe, just maybe, if Alex could tell Kara that they knew who was behind the attacks, could make sure that Kara knew Lena was safe, then Kara would be able to start letting Lena go. Because right now the only thing Alex knew for certain was that Lena wasn’t coming back.

Alex entered the small command room and was surprised to find only Winn and J’onn within. Both looked up from a bank of computer screens, their faces solemn. “You found something?” Alex asked, stopping by J’onn’s side. 

“Financials,” J’onn replied, folding his arms and nodding toward the computer screens.

“From Lex?” Alex asked. 

“L-Corp,” J’onn answered.

“And Lena,” Winn grumbled, clearly uncomfortable with the subject about to be discussed.

Alex looked to them. “And?”

“Both L-Corp and Ms. Luthor’s personal finances have thrown up some red flags,” J’onn said, his voice weary.

“What kind of red flags?” Alex asked, her frame tensing.

J’onn grimaced. “Recently created LLCs with transfers that skim just below the federal limits.”

“Which is not illegal,” Winn quickly added.

“But is common with people who are attempting to launder money,” J’onn said, throwing a knowing look at Alex.

“And, really, really rich people who are trying to avoid paying taxes,” Winn countered, looking between the two. “She’s a billionaire. These LLCs could be tax shelters.”

“Look at the dates,” J’onn said pointing to a set of documents on the screens. “This particular payment from L-Corp routes through two shell companies before paying out to a warehouse company located in St. Roch, Louisiana one week before the second attack.”

Alex was quiet, her stomach tightening.

“It’s for a warehouse that L-Corp has registered with the government for a project they’re funding through St. Roch University’s Engineering Department,” Winn explained.

“A project that is not online for another year,” J’onn said.

Alex crossed her arms and took in a deep breath. “Ok, so you think L-Corp and Lena are…”

“Preparing for a massive research project,” Winn said, looking between the two. 

“But why in St. Roch, Louisiana?” Alex said, pinching her nose and then dropping her hand to her side. “Why not a university affiliated with one of L-Corp’s corporate sites? Metropolis U or Star City State?”

“Diversity of talent?” Winn said. “PR because her brother is being held in Louisiana at Belle Reve?”

“So now what?” Alex asked.

“We put markers on all financial transactions from L-Corp and Ms. Luthor,” J’onn said.

“Whoa,” Winn said, slightly alarmed. “That’s going to be hundreds of thousands of transactions a day. We don’t have the manpower to sort through that.”

“Then I’m depending on you, Mr. Schott, to write me a program that can flag any suspicious scenarios.”

Winn sighed and slightly twirled in his chair. “Goodbye, new surveillance server space.”

“This doesn’t leave this room,” Alex said strongly, making eye contact with both men. “I don’t want this to be gossip on the floor and I don’t want Kara finding out about this if it turns out to be nothing.” Both men nodded in agreement. 

“I’ll get started on my stuff,” Winn grumbled. He looked up at the screen in front of him and exhaled, intimidated. “All, eleventy billion parts of it.”

Alex nodded and started to leave, J’onn catching her at the door. He pulled her to the side and lowered his voice. “How is Kara?”

“She’s…” Alex looked to the side and exhaled heavily. “I don’t know. Broken? I feel like everything I say is wrong.”

J’onn nodded his head. “Everyone handles loss in their own way.”

Alex nodded, grudgingly. “She wants answers about these attacks,” she said. “I don’t know how long we can keep what you and Winn just found from her.”

“For as long as it takes to get to the bottom of things,” J’onn said. “The last thing she needs is to–“

“Know that there are DEO analysts who think Lena might have had a hand in the attacks?” Alex interrupted. She shared a knowing look with J’onn. “That the attacks were all some sort of, ploy for sympathy to drive up stock, or to punish her brother and mother by painting herself further as a victim?” The theory had been brought up in more than one meeting by more than one agent, and though J’onn had been quick to shoot it down, urging caution and an open mind, the anti-Luthor sentiment was still held by a few in the DEO. 

J’onn’s lips formed a tight line. “If that’s what comes of our investigation, we will be there for Kara. It will be OK.”

“I wish I had your confidence,” Alex said through a pained smile.

He leaned forward and gave her a one-armed hug. She leaned into it, briefly squeezing her eyes tight, and then turned and left before she could get emotional. She had work to do. 

***************************************************************************************************

Kara stood on CatCo’s roof and looked down at National City below. She watched people rushing home to dinner with their family, listened as people laughed on their way to drinks with friends. She observed it all and felt numb. She looked north to the horizon, to where she knew Star City to be, and wondered what she would see if she stood on L-Corp’s roof there. 

The look on Lena’s face when their eyes met… Kara took in a deep breath and looked down again. Her hand was starting to tremble, her vision narrowing, and the sounds of the city were growing louder in her ears. When she was younger, Alex used to hold her hand and tell her to breathe when she felt like this, and remember that she wasn’t alone. But when the panic attacks come now—more and more frequently since Lena left—the decade old trick doesn’t work. Kara breathes and feels more alone. More estranged from her sister, more abandoned by Lena, and less able to find the desire to connect with her friends and the world around her. To be Kara Danvers.

Kara closed her eyes tight and balled her hands into fists by her side. Alex, Winn and J’onn were shutting her out of the L-Corp attack investigations. They said it was because they had it handled, that there was nothing new, but Kara couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else going on. Whenever she’d tried to talk to Alex about the attacks, she would change the subject, and whenever Kara would talk about the breakup, Alex would stammer and say that maybe it was for the best. It was getting to the point that Kara didn’t want to talk to Alex about how she was feeling, and that was terrifying because Alex was her touchstone, her home, forever the person who helped her navigate the big feelings that Kara often didn't know what to do with. 

How was she going to deal with her heart shattering without Alex to guide her? Kara exhaled and looked to the stars, tears sitting fat and unshed in her eyes. She didn’t want to think about the mess her life had become anymore. She just wanted to fly as fast as she could, help as many people as she could, and make the world a better place. Maybe then the tight feeling in her chest that made it hard to breath would loosen. 

She stepped off the edge of the building and floated mid-air, the wind snapping her cape around her back. She waited a minute before looking north and she shot off toward Star City. Why limit her help to National City when she could help the people of Star City, too?

***************************************************************************************************

There were rumors that Supergirl was saving people in Star City. A carjacking. A housefire. There were even whispers that she’d found a girl’s lost stuffed animal at a park. Supergirl’s appearances seemed to be happening all over town at all hours of the day, and yet except for that one, brief moment when she stared her down through her office window, Lena hadn’t see her. 

Lena wondered if that was by design. If Kara meant for her presence to be known but not seen, if Kara was trying to force Lena to call her on the incursions, or if Kara thought that if she were in Star City enough they would eventually run into each other accidentally and they’d have to talk. Lena tried to prepare herself for what she’d say if she ever ran into Kara on the street, yet the imagined scenarios never got past her gaping, never got past her stammering about clean breaks and new beginnings. Would Kara be dressed in slacks and a button down, or the House of El’s familiar crest? 

Lena thought she dealt with Supergirl’s rumored Star City forays well, and then news from National City started to filter in about how Supergirl was in overdrive there as well, and Lena couldn’t stop the pit from forming in her stomach. Surely there hadn’t been a sudden outbreak of crime that only Supergirl could deal with in National City, not in addition to her time spent helping people in Star City? How did Kara have time to be Kara—junior reporter for CatCo, who ate out far too often and had weekly game nights—if Supergirl was this busy? And where was Alex in all of this? Alex was supposed to be helping Kara heal, not move further away from herself. 

Lena tried to keep herself busy—her hours filled from start to finish with all things L-Corp—and for the most part she succeeded, until one day she looked at her calendar and realized with a start that it had been one month since she had moved to Star City. One lonely, exhausting month. She had worn a mask since day one in the city, wrapped herself in the guise of a successful, confident billionaire innovator, and played into other’s idea of who she was with aplomb. But god she missed that part of herself that she abandoned in Kara’s apartment. 

The part that could actually unwind. 

Relax. 

Laugh and feel something other than the perpetual need to do something work-related or go insane. When Lena thought of who she was, how she felt curled next to Kara on her couch, Kara’s fingers carding through her hair, she felt nauseated with grief. 

In Star City, Lena was a stylish automaton who had lunch alone, dinner with investors, and then the next day went right back to the mechanical life she’d established since the break up. Sleep, work, eat, rinse, repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. 

Desite her every effort not to, she thought of Kara every day. Of Supergirl. Of them as the same person, flying high above the clouds between Star City and National City, and her head throbbed. And the loneliness that followed, that pressed in on Lena as her headache settled at the base of her skull, made her wonder whether she’d ever feel like she did when she was with Kara again. Happy and alive.

***************************************************************************************************

“Hey, Alex, can I talk to you for a minute?” Winn asked, siddling up beside Alex in a quiet DEO hallway. 

Alex slowed to a stop. “What’s up?”

Winn paused, his face contorting with concern. “I know this isn’t any of my business–“

“Spit it out.”

“Supergirl was in Star City last night and people tweeted about it,” he said quickly before wincing.

“They saw her?” 

“She broke up a mugging, apparently, and wait, you don’t sound surprised…” he said, his brow furrowing.

Alex looked to him and then away. 

“Are you two running a side-sting?” Winn whispered urgently.

“What? No.”

“Then what is she doing in Star Ci– Oh, Lena,” he said quickly. “Oh. Oh, that’s rough.”

“What did the people tweet?” Alex said, her lips thinning.

“Just that she was there, being all Supergirl-ish. Last night was not the first time either.” Alex looked to Winn. She already knew that. “Uh, she has a hashtag,” Winn continued. “HashtagSuperStar. There’s a rumor that these visits are going to make tomorrow’s Daily Star paper, too.”

Alex covered her face with her hand and exhaled. She dropped her hand to her side. “I’ll talk to her.”

“They’re still not talking, are they?” Winn asked, tentatively.

“No,” Alex said. She could see the embarrassment on his face for Kara and she blushed in response. “Thanks Winn.”

He nodded and left, and Alex tried to figure out how in the world she would talk to Kara about this. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena sat on the couch in her office, her heels off, legs tucked beneath her. Her primary work day was over, however she still had one late night phone call with investors overseas, so going home didn’t make sense. Not that it did on any other day—“home” was the penthouse apartment where she slept, showered and changed—but tonight, staying in the office with the cleaning crew working outside felt particularly off. A frustrating feeling, given it had actually been one of her better days since she’d moved to Star City. She’d had lunch with an old acquaintence from university who was in town for a conference, and her team had made a minor breakthrough with a line of code that had been driving them nuts for the last week. 

Lena flipped through the financial magazine in her hand, not really reading any one thing, her eyes just skimming the features. She tossed it on the coffee table and after a moment spent idly drumming her fingers on the couch, she picked up her phone. 

She’d allow herself one look. 

It was the only picture of Kara that she’d kept, the others deleted with trembling fingers shortly after her move. In the remaining picture left on her phone, Kara was smiling, a pretty pink blush on her cheeks, her eyes sparkling blue. Lena remembered the exact second it had been taken. Kara had been sitting between Lena’s legs at game night. Lena had requested a selfie of the two of them, only to change her mind at the last minute and instead insist Kara fill the screen with her face alone. Kara was wearing her Power to the Girls sweater, and just before she took the picture, Lena had discreetly cupped Kara’s breasts from behind and whispered in her ear, far too low for anyone else there to hear, about how much she loved Kara’s ‘girls’. (Lena could see her lips just at the edge of the picture close to Kara’s ear.) It had been a happy moment. A happy memory. And though Lena knew she should delete the picture as she had with all the others, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She stared at the picture and felt her heart swell in her chest, every bruised inch of it making it’s presence known painfully and sharply. 

“Ah-hm.”

Lena looked up and her face morphed with surprise. She quickly clicked out of the picture app. “Sam—what are you doing here? I thought you were calling in.”

“I was,” Sam Arias replied, walking more fully into the office. “But something came up so I caught the 4 o’clock.”

“And Ruby?” Lena asked, turning on her couch so her feet were flat on the floor, phone still in hand.

“Is with the sitter. I’m going to try and make the 9:40 return.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, I’ll have the jet waiting for you. That way we can grab dinner after the call and you’ll still get back before midnight.”

“Thank you.”

“Must be important if you’re here.” Lena put the phone down on the table in front of her and righted herself.

Sam hesitated. “There’s a news story, an op-ed actually, that’s going to run in tomorrow’s Daily Star that I think we might need to get ahead of.”

“OK,” Lena smiled nervously. “That’s hardly the territory of the CFO.”

“It is if it might affect our stock.”

“OK,” Lena said, bracing herself. 

“Tom Manaugh of the Daily Star is going to run an opinion piece speculating that Supergirl’s recent appearances in Star City indicates that she doesn’t trust your moving here.” Lena felt like she had been punched in the stomach, and she watched, steely-eyed, as Sam continued. “That she’s here because she suspects L-Corp played a part in the two attacks in National City, and she’s keeping an eye on you.”

Lena tightened her jaw, her chest rising and falling with barely contained fury. “I was the main target of the two attacks.”

“He’s going to speculate that the attacks were sympathy plays.” Sam lowered her eyes, clearly uncomfortable being the messenger. Lena silently worked her jaw and Sam looked back up. “Kathy thinks that if other publications like the Daily Planet and CatCo pick it up it could have legs.”

“Unbelievable,” Lena seethed. 

“We could put out a comment–“

“No,” Lena said, dismissing the suggestion out of hand. “I don’t want to dignify this, absurdity.”

“Lena,” Sam said patiently. “Supergirl’s support in National City did more for us than any rebranding effort or merger could have. If there is a perception that there’s been a falling out between you two, or that she doesn’t trust us–“

“Just,” Lena interrupted, her hand up and Sam fell dutifully silent. The professional implications of her and Kara’s break up, and Kara’s subsequent visits, swirled together and made Lena’s head spin. She dropped her hand and exhaled, realizing that she was essentially backed into a corner by a media figure who was looking to manufacture drama between a Super and a Luthor, even if there was no factual basis for the story. Lena looked to the window behind her desk, her jaw tight and she began to speak, her voice practiced and corporate. “L-Corp appreciates Supergirl’s commitment to making sure the good citizens of Earth are safe, whether they live in National City or Star City. It is honorable and to be commended. L-Corp also appreciates the support of local law enforcement and looks forward to continuing to build relationships with those who believe in keeping our community safe.” She turned her head and met Sam’s eye. “Just as Supergirl’s good deeds speak for themselves, so do L-Corp’s.”

Sam took a deep breath. “I know Kara was your contact…” She trailed off when Lena stood and walked to her desk. “But maybe we can have a photo op with you and Supergirl somehow–“

“No,” Lena said sharply. She caught Sam opening her mouth to speak and Lena took in a deep breath. “At some point, this company is going to be seen as a force for good based on our own merits. I won’t keep trading on Supergirl’s good reputation in lieu of building my own.” She looked up and met Sam’s eye. 

“OK,” Sam said, understanding that continuing to push was futile.

Lena rubbed the back of her neck. “Do you actually mind if we skip dinner tonight?” She dropped her hand and forced a smile. “I’m sure Ruby would rather have you home earlier, and I think I’ve had a longer day today than I thought.”

“Of course,” Sam said. She paused. "There's one more thing I need to talk to you about." Lena looked up, waiting, and Sam continued. "In a recent review I noticed that you directed a payment to a facility in St. Roch, Louisana."

"For the research program I'm funding for St. Roch University.”

Sam nodded. "That program isn't meant to start for another year; the grant doesn't even propose funding post doc personnel until the following fiscal."

Lena's brow knit. "The payment I authorized was to secure a warehouse. I didn't realize it needed to align with fiscal."

"It doesn't," Sam said. 

"So?"

"The funds went though two separate LLCs."

"Let me guess, one was in Delaware." Lena smiled, happy with her financial joke.

Sam didn't smile in return. "The amount was, large."

"The facility is large," Lena countered, raising an eyebrow. She looked critically at Sam. "What's the real problem here?" 

Sam pressed her lips together and sighed. ”To an outside observer, it may look like you're attempting to launder money."

"Am I?" Lena asked calmly.

"No," Sam said. "The transactions are well within your legal rights."

Lena frowned. "Then what is your concern? Is it the wastefulness of holding the facility so far in advance of the program’s launch date, or that some people who don't understand tax law will jump to conclusions about my finances?”

Sam met Lena's eye. "Tom Manaugh's op-ed didn't come out of thin air."

"It came out of somewhere," Lena said coldly.

Sam pressed her lips together again, contrite. "I just think that maybe we should be a little more careful with appearances until everything dies down."

"But that's the thing, Sam,” Lena said, smiling ruefully. “It never does die down for Luthors." 

Sam sighed, understanding. 

Lena's tone softened a bit. “To your point, however, let's cap the creation of LLCs for tax purposes for the time being. Chris won't like it—it’s his personal mission to protect every last penny we have from the IRS—but he'll survive."

“Thank you,” Sam said, visibly relieved. 

Lena nodded ‘your welcome’. "And Sam? I appreciate you bringing this to me. It means a lot that you're looking out for L-Corp."

"Of course," Sam said. "I owe L-Corp for keeping me on after the merger."

"Nonsense," Lena said, a warm smile on her lips. “As if I'd ever fire the only person at that company who could properly read a number sheet." Lena paused, her smile fading. "If you ever see anything similar to what you just brought to me, I want to see it first—nobody else—and I want to know every hand that touched the transaction.”

“Absolutely,” Sam said. She waited to see if Lena needed anything else, and when she seemed done, Sam spoke. "Speaking of Chris, I actually need to check in on something with him—I’ll be back for the call in a half an hour?”

“Of course. Thanks, Sam,” Lena said and she waited patiently for Sam to leave before she sunk down into her seat. She took in a deep breath and then let it out slow. Lena's instincts about Sam had been correct. She was smart and loyal, two traits that no doubt would come in handy in the future. The fact that Sam had picked up on the St. Roch transaction… Lena glanced across the room to her phone sitting on the coffee table and she frowned.

She leaned back in her chair and then turned until she was facing the large windows that made up one of her office walls. It was late, the sun had set, and the city beyond was lit up for the evening. Star City, National City, Metropolis—they all looked the same at night. Tall, glass-windowed office buildings gone dark for the evening yet still peppered with random lights giving the impression of life. Lena let her eyes unfocus, her mind wander, and she wondered where Kara was right at that moment. Was she fighting someone on National City’s streets or in Star City’s alleys? Or was she at home, curled up on the couch trying to catch up on a show she liked with Alex by her side, pints of ice cream in their laps? 

Lena exhaled a shaky breath and hoped for all of their sakes that it was the latter. 

***************************************************************************************************

Alex entered Kara’s apartment and frowned. Kara was sulking at the kitchen island, a mug of coffee and a donut untouched before her. 

“What’s wrong?” Alex asked, looking between the food and Kara’s mopey face. Kara never left donuts untouched.

Kara tossed a newspaper onto the island. Alex leaned over to see a paparazzi picture of Lena smiling next to a woman. A bold caption sat just below their image: ‘Lena Luthor lunching with mystery gal pal’. 

Alex looked at the picture, confused. “They’re just standing next to each other. This doesn’t mean anything.”

Kara loudly scoffed. 

“Did you fly to Star City and see them on a date?” Alex asked, eyebrows raised.

“No,” Kara answered, offended. “I haven’t been to Star City in…“ She mumbled the rest.

“What?” Alex asked.

“I haven’t been to Star City this week,” Kara said. 

“It’s Tuesday,” Alex said.

Kara looked contrite. She picked up the newspaper and looked at the picture. Lena was smiling. The thing that used to make Kara’s heart feel lighter than air now made her stomach feel like it was weighted with lead.

“Okay,” Alex said, plucking the newspaper from Kara’s hand. The fact that she even could surprised them both; Alex didn’t often pull one over on the woman who was faster than a speeding bullet. “Enough pining because of the non-story in the newspaper.”

“Your face is pining,” Kara muttered and Alex again shot her a look.

“Kara,” Alex said. Kara looked up, wide eyed and Alex internally groaned. She didn’t want to have this conversation. She looked down to her hands and stammered as she spoke. “There’s actually something that I wanted to talk to you about.”

“OK,” Kara said. She turned her head and looked to the TV, playing quietly in the other room. 

“It’s good that you have this here,” Alex said, referencing the newspaper. “Because, well. Winn said–”

“Sorry, Alex, hold on,” Kara said, standing and walking toward the TV, a stitch in her brow.

Alex frowned and followed Kara to the couch. Alex glanced quickly at the TV and then to Kara, frustration building at how blatantly Kara was ignoring her. “I’m trying to talk to you about something serious, Kara.”

Kara stared at the TV, her brow furrowing further and then she was gone, shot out of her apartment window, her clothes fluttering down into a messy pile in front of Alex. Alex’s eyebrows shot straight to her hairline, her hair blowing around her face. “What the hell?” 

Her ear piece crackled, Winn’s voice filling her ear. “I thought you were talking to her.”

“What?” Alex asked, still confused by what was happening. 

“Hashtag SuperStar?” Winn asked. “She’s on TV breaking up a bank robbery in Star City right now.”

“What?” Alex asked, gritting her teeth. She looked to the TV and saw a local news video of a blur of red and blue, a flash of gold, and then Supergirl was gone, a streak in the sky. The camera panned and focused on three bank robbers tied together and deposited in the middle of the street, a Star City police officer scratching his head as he looked from the robbers to the sky. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena liked L-Corp’s IT floor. Unlike the other department’s polished marble floors that loudly announced her arrival, the IT floor was lined in a soothing blue carpet that muffled her heels impact. It allowed her to try a management technique that she had recently learned where she’d walked her company’s halls to overhear employee concerns and answer questions. She turned the corner of the last hallway on her rounds into a large room dissected by cubicles, stopping short as she heard two employees speaking breathlessly. 

“Oh my god,” one said, standing at a cubicle wall opposite another employee. “Supergirl just broke up a robbery at a bank my cousin works at over on Jackson.”

Lena faltered, swallowing hard, her gaze going to the window. Kara was in Star City. 

“Does she even live in National City anymore?” another employee asked and Lena frowned as the two employees giggled.

When no one else spoke, Lena looked over to find her two employees staring at her guiltily, eyes wide. Lena smiled and the two employees smiled in reply, slowly disappearing from view as they sank into their seats behind their respective cubicle walls, no doubt worrying that being caught gossiping by the boss was not a good look. Lena’s brow knit and she continued on her way back to her office. Just before getting into the elevator, she pulled her phone from her pocket and saw that #SuperStar was once again trending. Her jaw set and she nervously played with her phone as she watched the numbers on the elevator wall change.

***************************************************************************************************

“What are you doing?” Alex asked, exasperated, as Kara landed back in her apartment. 

“What?” Kara asked innocently, her cape snapping behind her as she walked more fully into her place.

Alex pointed to the TV, the news anchors breathlessly talking about Supergirl spoiling a bank heist in Star City.

Kara winced. “I didn’t think anyone would see.”

“In broad daylight?! Kara,” Alex said. She picked up the remote and switched off the TV. 

“It won’t happen again,” Kara said, pressing her lips together, her words an obvious lie. Alex tilted her head, knowingly. “You came to see me about something?” Kara asked as she walked to her kitchen. She picked up her donut and took a bite.

“Yeah, this,” Alex said, holding up the newspaper. 

Kara blushed deeply and chewed, wiping a little bit of pink frosting from the corner of her lips. “It’s only been a little more than a month, Alex, I think I’m allowed to feel hurt at the idea of her moving on.”

“No, not–“ Alex cut herself off, annoyed. She flipped the newspaper pages until she found what she was looking for. She thrust the paper in Kara’s face.

Kara glanced at the page and then back to Alex. “It’s the op-ed page,” she said around another mouthful of donut.

“It’s an opinion piece about whether Star City is now Supergirl’s unofficial second home.”

Kara swallowed hard. 

“Kara, did you read it?”

“No,” Kara said, putting the donut down. Truth was she only bought the paper at the donut shop because it had a teaser headline featuring a thumbnail version of Lena’s picture on the front page.

“The opinion piece wonders whether there’s any connection between Lena Luthor’s move and Supergirl’s sudden appearance in Star City,” Alex said. 

Kara’s face pulled into a confused frown.

“About whether Supergirl is in Star City to keep an eye on Lena Luthor because she doesn’t trust her,” Alex continued.

“What?” Kara looked like she was going to be sick. “Why would any one think that?”

“Because Supergirl had never been to Star City before Lena moved there, and now Supergirl’s there in full-hero mode all the time.” Alex softened at the wounded look on Kara’s face. “Kara.” Alex briefly paused. “The article also mentions how Lena and Supergirl are never seen together anymore. And that maybe that’s because Supergirl thinks Lena’s behind the recent attacks.”

The look on Kara’s face grew dark. “Lena was the target of those attacks.”

“The article speculates that the attacks were self-inflicted sympathy plays.”

Kara flexed her jaw as her face flushed red, her fingers curled into fists by her side. 

“You have to stop,” Alex said gently and Kara looked at her, frustrated. “I know,” Alex said, her voice soft. “I know how hard it must be to not get to see her–“

“I don’t even see her most of the time I’m there,” Kara interrupted. “I just.” She sighed, deflating, the anger she felt slipping from her frame. “It’s easier, for me, when I know that she’s safe. Supergirl can make Star City safer.”

“I get it,” Alex said. “But what you’re doing is making it harder for her. She can’t rehab L-Corp if everyone thinks Supergirl doesn’t trust her.”

After a long moment, Kara nodded. She turned abruptly from the conversation and pretended to look for something in her refrigerator. “Have you found out any more about who was behind the attacks?” 

Alex’s mood shifted. “Current hypothesis is Lex,” she said, watching Kara closely. “How is anyone’s guess. They’re doing a full prison review to see if there’s any way he can communicate with the outside world.”

Kara shut the fridge door and looked to Alex. “Lillian–“

“We’re looking,” Alex assured. “There’s no sign of her, or any sign that she helped him.”

“You’d tell me if anything new came up, right?” 

Alex’s smile was forced. “Of course.”

Kara's brow quirked and Alex's smile grew. Kara lightly shook her head and looked away, and Alex's smile instantly faded.

“Kara–“

“You know what the worst thing about this break up is?” Kara interrupted, turning to face Alex.

“I don’t think my answer will be the same as yours,” Alex said kindly.

Kara blushed, but continued. “Lena was my best friend. I miss talking to her. I miss, watching movies with her until the middle of the night, and being excited to go eat at a restaurant where I knew I’d hate the food because it would be fun to go someplace with her.” Kara pursed her lips. “I keep thinking that missing that will get better, but it doesn’t.”

“I’m sorry,” Alex said softly. “How about some sister time? I could call Maggie, tell her I’m spending the night here.”

Kara shook her head, her features drawn. “It’s not the same.” 

“Yeah, okay,” Alex said, trying to hide her disappointment. “Do you want to have dinner at least? We haven’t done Chun’s in a while.”

“I have a work thing,” Kara said, averting her eyes. Alex wanted to push but she just pressed her lips together and nodded. “Maybe next week,” Kara said with a strained smile. 

“Okay. Kara–” Alex interrupted herself and then smiled, tucking whatever she intended to say away. She instead cocked her head slightly. “I feel like I’ve barely seen you lately.”

“Snapper’s kept me busy,” Kara said weakly and Alex nodded. They didn’t need to say the truth out loud for them both to know that is was Supergirl who had been busy. 

Alex walked around the table and gave Kara a long hug. “It’s going to get better,” she whispered and she felt Kara stiffen.

“Yep,” Kara said, smiling and stepping out of Alex’s embrace. Alex forced a cheerful smile to her lips, despite her stomach twisting at the sad look in Kara’s normally bright eyes.

“Next week?” Alex asked, pointing at her sister as she made her way to the door.

“Yep,” Kara said, and after Alex left, Kara made her way to the window and flew away. 

***************************************************************************************************

The man with the scar was named Horace Rikker, and his twisted, disfigured grin terrified David Decker. Rikker had showed up one day at Luthor’s National City lab and got to work on his own project in another part of the warehouse. His presence was unsettling. Not only because he was obviously up to something shady, but because everyone that Lex had insisted Decker work with on his device project seemed to defer to Rikker. Decker began to realize that the device he was working on was secondary to whatever the rest of the group was devising. 

On one particularly frustrating day, Decker left the warehouse for a local bar. He tucked into a corner in the back and halfway through his second beer, Googled Lillian Luthor. He was shocked by what he read, shocked by what he found when he similarly Googled Mr. Rikker. Rikker was once an inventor, like Decker, who had turned down a dark path after becoming associated with Lex Luthor. Decker realized that he was being groomed by Luthor, to either be blackmailed into performing unspeakable acts, or disposed of when he was no longer useful. 

Decker left the bar shaken, walking the streets of National City aimlessly as his mind whirled. He realized with a sharp clarity that his decision to associate with Luthor had put himself and his family in horrible danger. How did one disassociate from men like Luthor and Rikker when their entire life depended on their successful collaboration with them?

He could leave. Should leave. Disappear with what little money he had and wire his wife instructions on how to follow. He stopped suddenly as that thought took root, as his fear roared loudly in his ears. He turned his head and saw a poster next to a bus stop featuring the familiar ‘See something, Say something’ slogan. The poster was a lightening bolt of inspiration. He could call the FBI. They had anonymous tip lines. He didn’t have to be Lex Luthor’s pawn. He could call in what was happening, could still get out before the world fell down around him. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed. 

***************************************************************************************************

It was a revelation.

Kara never knew she could be this fast. This strong. She could now use her heat vision with precision, ice a gun right out of a bad guy’s hand with her freeze breath. She was becoming more than she ever thought she could be, more than anything she’d ever seen from Kal-El or J’onn, through sheer volume of practice. A robbery, a fire, a kitten in a tree—if it was happening in National City, she was there. She smiled to herself as she zoomed through downtown. Why had she waited so long to live this way?

It was exciting to be this good at something. She’d hidden for so long—losing races in PE, pretending to not understand math in college—that finding out that she could truly excel at something was exhilirating. And the best part about it all? When she was a blur of action she didn’t think about the hole in her chest. The heartbreak she felt when she was sitting alone in her apartment belonged to Kara Danvers, and when she was Supergirl—beloved hero, Supergirl—she was the furthest thing possible from Kara Danvers. Supergirl couldn't be heartbroken. 

She could get used to living this way. A life where she didn’t have to think about Lena. About how her heart felt shattered beneath her family crest. Kara could be the hero that she’d come to Earth to be. And if she needed to extend herself beyond National City to find additional ways to help, then she would. She slowed in her spot in the sky, swallowing hard as she realized she hovered next to National City’s L-Corp tower. Kara tilted her chin up, unwilling to let Kara Danver’s weakness overtake her in that moment, and she shot off into the night toward a new challenge.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena beamed at her team as they drank champagne from bright red cups in the Star City facility’s largest lab. The mood was joyous, and for the first time in a long time, she felt included and happy. Her team was making progress. Real, tangible progress. They had figured out how to move matter from one place to another with energy alone, and it was exhilarating. Granted, the matter was microscopic, and the huge amount of energy used to move the speck wasn’t sustainable for more than a nanosecond, but they had done it and that was the first step toward realizing Lena’s vision. 

It had been a good week. Her team had doggedly worked through setback after setback for this win, and Supergirl’s sightings in Star City had lessened to the point that Lena was starting to think Kara was moving on. Agent Benitez from the DEO had settled into being a background presence in the L-Corp office, and recent coverage in the Daily Planet and CatCo showed no sign of running with the Star’s salacious op-ed. Lena was so busy that she hardly even noticed how broken she was. Progress.

Lena left the lab’s celebration after two hefty cups of bubbly and took a car home. She wasn’t a lightweight, far from it, but the champagne’s bubbles left her feeling slightly woozy anyway, and she stumbled a bit as she stepped out of her heels once home. She crossed to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine, then made her way to her living room where she sat on the couch. She leaned back against the leather cushions and relaxed, sighing, the ghost of a proud smile on her lips. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to sink into the fizzy feeling. 

It only took a few minutes of peace for her to realize how quiet her apartment was. Lena opened her eyes, her gaze absently focusing on the far wall. There was no movement, no sound except for that made by her finger lightly smoothing over the seam of the couch cushion. The silence hammered home how isolated she’d become. It was a very different feeling than the last time she’d celebrated such an imporant work event. The Francis Acquisition from two months ago. She’d casually shared it’s importance during a late afternoon text exchange with Kara, and the next thing she knew, Kara was whisking her away from the office for an impromptu celebration at the beach. They’d watched the sunset together, sitting on the sand in their work clothes, Kara’s arm wrapped around her back. Kara had whispered how proud she was of her, her lips resting on the crown of her head, the sound just making it to her ears over the crash of the waves. That night, that celebration, had made Lena feel like she was doing the right thing with L-Corp.

They’d made love that night. Slow and cautious, Kara with a worried set to her face. The opposite of the exuberant, ardent girl who’d kissed her on the sand. Lena’s brow furrowed at the memory. It was always such a puzzle, their physical relationship. There were times when Kara had looked at her like she wanted to devour her, times when they kissed until they were breathless, lips swollen and bruised, yet when they made it to the bedroom... 

At first Lena blamed herself. She’d misread their situation, had pushed Kara to do something she clearly was uncomfortable doing, but Kara had pushed back on that notion hard once Lena had shared her concern. Once they had talked through their misunderstanding about their first time, Kara wasn’t shy in showing how much she desired Lena. She was affectionate and curious, flirtatious and passionate, and Lena certainly felt wanted and loved… Until they were together in bed and it became a game of repeated reassurances and tentative touches, Lena wondering if she was doing something wrong.

Of course, all of her assumptions about what was or wasn’t happening between them were thrown out the window with Kara’s Supergirl reveal. Lena had forced herself to revisit every romantic encounter they’d had, no matter how painful or embarrassing to recall, because her curious mind could not stop thinking: What if Kara being an alien meant that sex was different for her? What if certain Earth customs and relationship expectations had been beyond Kara’s comfort zone or desire? And those thoughts had lead to a whole host of other thoughts. If sex and romance could be different for Kara, than what else? 

Lena admitted that there were a million different things about Kara that she didn’t know. What did her first language, her language from Krypton, sound like? Did Kara remember it? Could she speak it? How was Kryptonian culture different than Earth’s? Were there relationships on Krypton like the one they’d had? Were Kryptonians monogamous, did Kryptonians get married? What had Kara’s journey through space been like? What was her relationship with Superman like, with Alex? How had Kara managed to go from being an alien, new to Earth, to passing as a human wrapped up naked in bed with her?

Lena shut her eyes as that image stayed with her. She had loved the feeling of falling asleep wrapped in Kara’s arms. 

Lena blinked her eyes open and was surprised to find her lashes wet. She wiped the unexpected tears from the corner of her eyes, angry with her mind for taking her to such a dark place on such a happy day, and she placed her still-full wine glass on the coffee table with a worrisome thud. She pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed. After two rings, she spoke, her voice flat and matter-of-fact. “Yes, I need to head back to the office. Please have the car ready.”

She ended the call and took a steadying breath, then took the wine to her kitchen sink and poured it down the drain. She gathered her things, slipped her heels back on her feet, and headed back to her office, a determined set to her jaw.

***************************************************************************************************

Game night had chips and beer… and no Kara. Alex looked to the clock and then to the others in her apartment. “Sorry guys.”

“It’s fine,” James said. 

“Yeah, it’s just one night,” Winn said and everyone fell silent. It was just one night, in the same way that the last three game nights had been ‘just one night’. Alex nodded and swallowed a swig of beer. She was about to suggest calling the evening off when her and Winn’s phones rang. They shared a look and they both stood, walking away from the group and answering.

“J’onn?” Alex said.

“I need you both to come in,” J’onn said over the phone. “We got a tip about Lex Luthor.”

“What about him?” Alex asked. She looked over to Winn, whose brow was knit in concentration as he listened to the call. 

“We’ve received an anonymous call about a device in National City linked to him.”

“One of the ones Lillian had?” Winn asked.

“This one’s new. Something that Lex is developing with a criminal syndicate and a unknown, shadow inventor.”

“Shadow inventor,” Alex repeated.

“The tipster described the inventor as ‘a genius close to Lex’.”

“OK,” Alex said, her stomach dropping. “I’m with Winn, we’re coming in.” She watched Winn hang up and turn to her, his face drawn. Alex hung up and turned to Maggie and James. “We have to go.”

“Good news?” James asked, standing.

“Don’t know yet,” Alex said, sharing a look with Winn. Alex stepped forward and kissed Maggie. “Don’t wait up.”

“Be safe,” Maggie said.

“Always,” Alex replied.

“I’m gonna take off too,” James said. “Early morning.” His words made Alex quirk her brow, but she pushed it aside and moved to the door. 

Ten minutes later she walked into the DEO’s main command center, J’onn meeting her and Winn as they entered. 

“What do you have?”

“A call to the FBI tip line from an anonymous source saying Lex Luthor is developing a device of unknown capability in National City.”

“How is that even possible?” Winn said. “He’s in prison. Superman put him in prison.”

J’onn nodded. “The tip came from a cell phone in National City. I need you to–“

“Yeah, I’m on it,” Winn said, walking to his terminal. 

J’onn and Alex watched him get to work before looking back to each other. J’onn guided Alex to the side and spoke in a quiet voice. “The tip said Luthor is working with a man named Horace Rikker and another unknown inventor on a device; what it does is anyone’s guess,” J’onn said.

“So, Lex Luthor is designing devices from prison and then having his minions build them on the outside?” Alex asked, frame tense. 

“You’re frustrated.”

“Lex Luthor is in Belle Reve.”

“And?”

“What are we even doing if he can do this from one of the most heavily guarded prisons in the world?”

“Would you like it better if it were someone else?”

“Yes,” Alex said.

“Even Miss Luthor?” J’onn challenged

Alex paused. 

“You think it’s a possibility,” J’onn said, his gaze narrowing.

“No,” Alex said automatically. J’onn cocked his head to the side and Alex looked away, guilty. “The answer I want to have is that it’s not a super criminal pulling strings from one of our most secure prisons and that Lena is being framed by someone we can catch. Lillian, another enemy, not–” She cut herself off. 

“Not what?” J’onn asked.

Alex shook her head. “Not what I know some people here are thinking; that the ‘shadow inventor’ is Lena helping Lex.” 

J’onn nodded. “Well now we have a lead.”

“Yeah,” Alex said, scoffing. She looked to J’onn, her eyebrow arching. 

“We’ll find this Rikker,” he said. “We’ll figure this out.”

Alex nodded, moving to stand next to Winn, J’onn watching her carefully.


	4. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kara sometimes looked at pictures of Lena on her phone. It felt like a hand on her throat, squeezing, but she did it anyway. She was the Girl of Steel. She could take the pain."

David Decker graduated from MIT eight years before Lena Luthor enrolled, but he knew from numerous alumni mixers about the force of nature she was. Not as brilliant as Lex, that was clear from the conversations he and his engineering brothers had with their favorite male professors, but she bright and curious all the same. And she was following in his footsteps, they’d said, her numerous science degrees stacking up so that she could eventually run LuthorCorp by Lex’s side. It was those memories that made Decker wonder if she had a hand in the device’s design.

The device was a marvel, more subtle than anything Decker knew Lex Luthor to have produced, but just as elegant mechanically as he imagined Lex’s many inventions to be. Decker still wasn’t sure exactly what the device would do when activated, but he had his hypotheses, and if they were correct, they lined up more with what he knew Lena Luthor’s interests to be than Lex’s. Hadn’t she had a tech start up, like him, before taking over LuthorCorp? And hadn’t Lex mentioned early on that the device was created by someone close to him?

Decker let the idea marinate as he continued to work, continued to put his head down and ignore his growing unease with what else was happening in the National City warehouse lab he shared with Horace Rikker. All he needed to do was build the machine and reap his promised riches. Who knew, maybe if Lena Luthor was involved he’d end up with a lucrative deal with L-Corp as thanks for his hard work. 

*************************************

Kara made an honest effort to keep up with all of the different parts of her life after Lena left, but every day that she tried was harder than the last. 

She invested little of herself in her writing, Snapper’s critique or praise of the meager assigments he gave her becoming more and more inconsequential to her daily life. She had lunch with James whenever he’d invite her, and laughed when he told jokes. She even offered anecdotes when it was her turn to speak, and she was relieved when it seemed that he was convinced she was all right, because the overly-sympathetic look he’d sported in the first few weeks after Lena left was almost gone. She had Winn over for pizza and they followed the police scanner like old times, but it was for him, to make him feel better about helping her rather than feeling helped by him. J’onn took her out for coffee and all she could think as he sat there—a fellow alien, strong and powerful but chosing to live as a human—was how much she resented that they were sitting on a park bench talking about their mundane lives as if they were important.

Kara avoided Alex as much as possible. It hurt too much to spend time with her. Kara would put on a show of normalcy when they were together, but Alex could see through it. They would be hanging out, and then Alex would give her a look—a look that was concerned and a little impatient for Kara to be better already—and it was like a spear through Kara’s heart. And yes, Alex was her family, but Alex had Maggie now, and the beginnings of her own family, and that hurt, too. Because it forced Kara to confront how close she came to having her own family with Lena, and how little she understood why it all fell apart.

Kara sometimes looked at pictures of Lena on her phone. It felt like a hand on her throat, squeezing, but she did it anyway. She was the Girl of Steel. She could take the pain. 

What she couldn’t take was how hard existing in National City as Kara Danvers was becoming. Going grocery shopping was tedious, walking places gave her brain too much time to think. Restaurant owners asked about Lena and it all felt suffocating. Her life, the human life that she had worked so hard to create, nuture and preserve, was suffocating her. 

She never thought of who she would be if she were still on Krypton, because if she were on Krypton she would be a different person. And maybe she was finding, as she started to push her boundaries as Supergirl, that that was the way forward. She could be a different person. Kara Danvers was in love with Lena. She likely always would be. But Supergirl, she belonged to the world, and if Kara gave up on Kara Danvers she could also give up on the idea that Lena might come back one day. All Kara had to do was be a different person. Someone whose heart didn’t break every time she thought of Lena Luthor.

*************************************

Lena prided herself on her ability to control her emotions. She had honed the skill since she was four years old, a traumatized child thrust into a traumatically dysfunctional family. And so it was with perfect composure that she looked to her assistant when her assistant’s phone buzzed and the young woman murmured, “Does she protect every city now?” 

“I’m sorry?” Lena asked, the salad on her desk momentarily forgotten before her.

“Supergirl just stopped a shootout in Opal City,” her assistant said, holding out her phone for Lena to read the news notification.

Lena’s brow knit as she read the headline. She picked up a remote and turned on the TV mounted on her office wall, and they both watched, rapt, as breaking news footage showed the Girl of Steel flying over the iconic Opal City skyline. 

“I might actually consider moving back to Opal City if I knew she was going to be there,” her assistant muttered.

Lena stared at the TV in shock. Star City, she understood, but Opal City? What connection did Kara have there? Lena looked to her phone, thought about calling Alex to ask what was going on, then instantly abandoned the idea. She glanced at the TV again, flexing her jaw, before turning it off. She smiled to her assistant and went back to work, her mind buzzing about what this new development could possibly mean. 

As soon as she was alone, Lena checked her phone for news about Kara, only to find her trending with a new hashtag, #SOpalgirl. Lena rolled her eyes at the lazy wordplay before realizing with alarm how concerned she was about Kara. And as that realization sunk in, Lena became more and more furious. It wasn’t fair. When they were together, she never knew that when Kara was last-minute cancelling on a date or leaving her apartment suddenly, it was to go fight against the world’s most evil criminals as Supergirl. And now that Lena did know Kara’s secret, she had nobody to share her worry and anger with about the situation. She clenched her fist, her stomach churning. The thought of the woman she’d loved being beaten bloody by the nations’s worst made her feel nauseated.

How many times had Kara and Supergirl warned her not to do something dangerous? The concern in Kara’s eyes, the worry when she would tell Lena she couldn’t bear the thought of her getting hurt because she loved her. Well Lena had loved Kara and wasn’t given permission to be similarly concerned. Kara just flew into danger with no regard for Lena’s feelings. Kara knew all of the risks of being in a relationship with a Luthor, but Lena couldn’t have said the same. What if something horrific had happened to Supergirl when they were together? Would Alex have called her to tell her? Or would Alex have protected Kara’s identity? Would Lena have spent god knows how much time in the dark, worrying, wondering because the secret was more important than her?

Lena swallowed hard. Who would tell her if something awful happened to Kara now? Lena rubbed her forehead and eyed her phone again before scoffing at herself. Who did she think she was going to call? Alex? _Kara?_ And say what? She chose to walk away and they didn’t owe her anything. Lena exhaled, her shoulders bowed. She turned back to her computer and tried to finish work for the evening, her stomach tied in anxious knots as yet another #SOpalgirl notification flashed across her phone.

*************************************

Alex opened the door to her place and saw Maggie look up from a book. “Hey,” Alex said, her brow knitting. “I thought you were going out with the forensics squad?”

“I did, and they all decided to bring their kids,” Maggie said through a tight, unamused smile. “Got to eat dinner with Hernandez’s two year old staring at me over the back of the booth.”

Alex smiled, sadly, as she dropped her bag by the door. Hernandez’s two year old, Lily, was a perpetually snotty, chubby ball of sunshine. “Couldn’t have been that bad,” Alex said and Maggie laughed.

“Oh, it was,” Maggie said, closing her book. “And then, they all bailed on drinks because ‘somebody gets cranky if they’re not in bed by 7!’” She rolled her eyes and then focused her attention on Alex. “I thought you were having dinner with Kara tonight.” 

Alex scoffed and Maggie’s brows rose in question. Alex flashed a rueful smile. “Yeah, I am _just_ about done with this version of her.” 

“What happened?“

“She blew me off again,” Alex said, her cheeks flush red with embarrassment. Maggie frowned. “Every single time I’ve tried to spend time with her since I told her to back off Star City she’s given me an excuse why she couldn’t make it. And tonight…” Alex sighed, tense. “Every, single, time.” Alex shook her head. “Did you know that Supergirl was spotted in Opal City—Opal City—an hour ago? I just.” Alex took a deep sigh. “How can this breakup have knocked her so far sideways? They only dated for a couple of months.”

“Right,” Maggie said sarcastically and Alex looked at her like she had three heads. Maggie tilted her head to the side. “Come on, Alex, don’t be like this.”

“Like what?” Alex asked, clearly frustrated. “It’s been almost two months and Kara’s acting like the world ended.”

“It probably feels like it has to her,” Maggie said. Alex again looked at her, perplexed, and Maggie sighed. “You didn’t like Lena, but don’t downplay what they had.”

Alex’s hackles went up. “I never said that I didn’t like Lena.”

“You did.”

“No, I said I didn’t trust her, and then that she was ridiculous. There’s a difference.” She paused as Maggie stared at her. “Who wears four-inch snakeskin heels to a game night?”

“Uh, someone trying to look hot for their new girlfriend?” Alex arched her brows. “That was her first game night, she didn’t know,” Maggie said. “She was trying to impress Kara.”

“If she knew what impressed Kara at all she would have brought three pizzas instead.”

“Alex,” Maggie said quietly. “Come on,” she repeated, her voice a little more earnest. 

Alex swallowed hard. “I hate what Lena leaving has done to Kara.”

“I know,” Maggie said. “But that doesn’t mean you hate Lena.”

Alex was quiet for a long moment. Every thing she had been investigating in the last two months involving Lena’s name was going off like a klaxon in her head, and she wanted to share it but she couldn’t. She was sick of being the bad guy when it came to Lena. Instead she sighed, pulling her mind back to neutral and focusing on what was important. “I miss my sister.”

“She isn’t gone,” Maggie said with a reassuring smile. “She’s just… Figuring out how to be without the person she planned to be with.” When Alex didn’t respond, Maggie continued. “Getting your heart broken by someone you thought you had a future with is…” She smiled the smile of someone who had been there. “It’s rough.” 

Alex nodded, acknowledging that she was out of her depth on this topic. 

Maggie stood up from her place on the couch and wrapped her arms around Alex, and Alex sighed, sinking into her. “It’s going to be ok.”

Alex nodded her head, pressing a soft kiss into Maggie’s cheek, and for the first time since Lena left, Alex wasn’t sure that was true.

*************************************

Decker watched as Rikker and the others began to fortify the warehouse, and his stomach bottomed out. He knew enough to know that the building was being wired with explosives. The men smiled at him, silently mocking his nerves and he began to sweat as he put the finishing touches on the physical design that Lex had tasked him to build. Decker had received a jump drive that morning, no doubt containing the code that would wake the design and start the next phase of whatever he’d gotten mixed up in into motion. The thought made him ill.

He worked through the night, and then went home to his family. He sat in his dark bedroom, his phone in his hand, staring at his sleeping wife. He opened his phone and looked at the keypad, before closing the phone and climbing into bed fully clothed. 

*************************************

Lena signed, her office door slamming loudly. Another one of Lex’s loyal minions rooted out and summarily fired, security at his elbow as he stormed out of her office with a bright red face and a mouth full of threats. Lena turned to her computer and accessed the company’s real estate database. She navigated to the warehouse she’d purchased in St. Roch and then reviewed the attached notes. Nothing from Sam. She ran a quick keyword search featuring Sam’s name and found little, just notes reviewing a handful of industrial purchases in Star City and National City. Lena’s lips thinned and she sat back in her chair. 

Sam should have found something by now. Lena looked to her phone and then back to her computer, tapping her fingers gently on her desk. She’d give Sam another couple of weeks before she pulled her in on what she was trying to do. And if Sam quit in reponse… Well then so be it. 

*************************************

“What is going on?” Alex said, angrily walking into Kara’s apartment, the morning sunlight streaming in through the large windows. 

“Nothing, I was just watching TV–“ 

“Winn tells me Supergirl was in Opal City last night breaking up a shootout, and then James tells me this morning that you quit your job at CatCo?” 

Kara sighed and turned off her TV.

“What are you doing?” Alex looked at her, flabbergasted. 

“I’m moving on,” Kara said, standing up and moving into her kitchen.

“By quitting the job you love?” Alex challenged, her eyebrows arched high.

“You told me to move on,” Kara said, her words an accusation.

“This is not what I meant,” Alex said. “Kara.” She huffed in frustration. “What is going on with you? CatCo means so much to–“

“Kara Danvers,” Kara interrupted with a head bob. “But working at CatCo is a distraction for Supergirl.”

Alex gaped for a moment. “You worked so hard to become a reporter.”

“And I don’t want to be that person anymore.” 

“What?“ 

Kara licked her lips. “Ever since Lena left Kara Danvers is sad, and lonely, and I realized yesterday that I don’t have to be her. I don’t have to keep pretending to be a human, because I’m not.“

“Is that why you were in Opal City last night?” Alex was appalled. “Kara, you can’t be Supergirl all the time.”

“Why?” Kara asked defiantly. 

“Because, Kara Danvers has a life,” Alex sputtered. “She has friends and a sister who loves her and–“

“So does Supergirl. _Kara Danvers_ has a job that sucks and is alone.”

“Kara Danvers is not alone. You have me–“

“It’s not the same,” Kara interrupted. “Lena wasn’t just my girlfriend, Alex, she was, she was who I was excited to be Kara Danvers with most days, and now I wake up every morning and wonder why I spend so much time, so much energy, pretending to be this poor, pathetic human when I don’t have to. I don’t have to be her, I don’t have to be Kara Danvers, I can spend my time helping people.”

“Every day Kara Danvers helps people.“ Kara looked away and Alex realized that Kara was serious. “Kara, Lena is not the only–“

“This is not just about Lena,” Kara snapped. She rubbed her forehead, trying to rein in her emotions. “All I’ve wanted my whole life is to help people. And for a long time I thought I had to be human to do that. And Lena…” Kara swallowed hard, her voice thick with emotion. “I loved being human for her. She made Kara Danvers feel special. But now, it just feels so clear that all of the things that I do, all of the stuff that I go through—I don’t have to. I don’t have to work a job where everyone picks on me and calls me ‘ponytail’, I don’t have to hide the fact that I’m hungry, like, all of the time because of stupid human meal schedules and I don’t.” She sighed. “I don’t have to pretend that Lena wasn’t the one thing that made me want to be human most days since I started to be Supergirl.” Kara looked to Alex. “Being Supergirl and Kara Danvers is hard, Alex. The fact that you can’t see that, that you can’t see why Lena being gone changes things, says everything.” 

Alex’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “I do see, I just don’t–“ Alex cut herself off and took a breath, centering herself. “I have always supported you,“ Alex said, her voice forced calm. 

“Not when it comes to Lena.”

Alex steamed, but kept her voice calm. “I will admit that did not like Lena at first, because her last name was scary,” Alex said slowly. “But I was still there for you. I listened, I went on double dates.” Kara looked away and Alex followed her eyes. “And when the attack on CatCo and L-Corp happened, I ran to Lena because I knew if anything happened to her you would be devastated.”

Kara’s brow knit. “You ran to her because a part of you thought that she was behind the attack.”

“That is not true,” Alex said, shaking her head.

“Then why is the DEO still investigating Lena when all signs point to Lex?” Kara asked, heatedly.

Alex was shocked. How in the world did Kara know that? “Because Lex is in one of the most heavily fortified prisons in the world,” Alex sputtered.

“He’s Lex Luthor,” Kara snapped in return. She exhaled and let out a rueful laugh. “Lena left me because the world thinks she’s a monster. She thinks she needs to atone for her family’s sins, and no matter how hard I tried to convince her that she isn’t like them, that she is good and special…” She shook her head. “Why would she think she was better than her family’s reputation if her girlfriend’s own sister thought she was capable of awful things?”

“That is not fair,” Alex said. “It is my job to follow evidence–“

“That is obviously planted by her family.”

“I can’t know that unless I investigate, Kara. I can’t just ignore what I see because you love her.”

“You could if you knew Lena. And you would know Lena if you could get over her last name.”

“Wow,” Alex muttered, rubbing her forehead. “This isn’t happening.”

“I’m done with CatCo,” Kara said, shrugging her shoulders. “I’m done with all of it.” She shook her head. “I don’t need Kara Danvers anymore.” She walked to her couch and sat down.

“You know what,” Alex said, following her. “I don’t think this has anything to do with being human, or an alien, I think this has everything to do with you being angry. You’re angry with Lena, and angry that your job sucks right now, and instead of dealing with those feelings it’s just easier to go punch things.”

Kara smiled, angry and tight. “Denying who you are by punching things is a human response,” Kara said, staring pointedly at Alex.

“Yeah,” Alex said, a knowing, angry smile on her lips. “Hurt my feelings because you can’t hurt Lena’s. It’s ok. Because I love you and I’m here for you, no matter what. Even if you are acting like an ass.”

“Do you have something DEO related to talk about?” Kara asked, and she watched as Alex gritted her teeth together. “I didn’t think so.”

Alex shook her head and looked away. “She isn’t worth this.” Alex looked back to Kara and met her eye. She stared at Kara until Kara looked away. Alex walked to the door and stopped, her hand on the handle. “You know, Kara Danvers is my favorite person. So maybe think about that before you try so hard to get rid of her.” She opened the door and slammed it angrily behind her as she left. 

*************************************

It was Lena’s third gala since moving to Star City. The first had been horrendous, because it was her first in a long while without Kara, and she hadn’t realized how empty going solo to a big event would make her feel. The second gala had also been horrible, because it had been dominated by discussion of Supergirl’s recent crime-fighting binge in Star City. Lena couldn’t escape the chatter, the questions from Star City’s elite about what could possibly be bringing Supergirl to their city. And then tonight. The usual polite chit chat sprinkled with speculation about Supergirl’s foray into crime fighting in Opal City. It left Lena feeling on edge.

“Miss Luthor.”

“Yes?” Lena turned, her brow quirked. She didn’t recognize the slim, smiling woman approaching her.

“Rachel Rofer, Daily Star,” the woman said, flashing her press pass with a smile.

“Ah,” Lena said, her mask slipping on. “I didn’t know the press would be mingling this evening.”

“Charlie Lee is an old friend,” Rachel said, referencing the gala’s host. “I was wondering if you had time for a couple of questions.”

“Of course,” Lena said with a smile. “As long as you let me start with one of my own.” Rachel nodded, happy to have access, and Lena put on her fiercest smile. “How does it feel to work with that walking piece of garbage, Tom Manaugh?”

Rachel’s eyebrows shot up. “So you do read the Star.”

“Of course,” Lena said with a smile. “I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh.”

Rachel dropped her eyes, bested, before looking back up. “You know that the Opinion Desk is a separate department than News.”

Lena smiled her best ‘eat shit’ grin.

Rachel nodded, plowing on. “I’m surprised, Miss Luthor. By all accounts you had a great relationship with the media in National City.”

“Well the media in National City never wrote that I attacked myself, a busy news room and a school full of innocent children with machine guns and a bomb as part of a sympathy play.”

“Is that why?” Rachel asked with a mischievous smile. “Care to comment on CatCo Magazine naming you the Most Beautiful Innovator in the World?”

“Is that even a thing?” Lena dismissed with a knit brow and condescending smile. 

“They seem to think so—they’ve been tweeting about it all day. They also called you the ‘Most Eligible Executive’.”

Lena’s smile persisted. “I wasn’t aware my private life warranted news coverage.”

“Well there are rumors you left National City because of a bad breakup.”

Lena’s smile slightly faltered. “I moved to Star City because my company built a state-of-the-art facility here that will be working on a project I wanted to personally oversee.”

“Curing cancer, is it?” Rachel asked, showing off her knowledge of Lena’s life before L-Corp. 

“Transportation, actually,” Lena said smoothly. “We hope to improve how goods are transported worldwide, while also minimizing impact on the environment.”

“You couldn’t build self-driving electric trucks in National City?”

Lena’s ‘eat shit’ grin returned. “I’m thinking bigger than that.”

“Intriguing,” Rachel said. “What do you think about rumors that your brother was behind the two attacks in National City?”

Lena casually shrugged. “I try not to think about Lex. He’s locked away in a secure Federal Penitentiary and I trust Superman and the government to make sure their prisoners are properly guarded and restrained.”

“You trust Superman.”

“I think my actions in National City show that.”

“Interesting that you mention trusting the government,” Rachel said. “Do you think they trust you?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Lena asked, coyly smiling. “I’m a model citizen.” Lena looked to the side and then back. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go powder my nose before continuing to get to know Star City’s best and brightest.”

“Of course,” Rachel said. “Thank you for your time. If you ever want to discuss L-Corp’s plans—“

“I’ll call Clark Kent,” Lena said smiling before turning heel and walking away. She wore her triumphant smile for all of ten feet before her face started to morph, the smile fading to shock, her eyes going comically wide as she exited the ballroom toward the bathrooms and she realized that Clark Kent was Superman.

Clark. Kent. Was Superman. 

Lena looked around, though why, she couldn’t fathom. There was no-one on Earth she could tell all of this mind-shattering information, even if she wasn’t by herself in a hallway leading to the bathrooms. This was her’s alone to deal with. She entered the bathroom and went directly into a stall. She locked the door and took a deep, shuddering breath, her hands on the door, her right hand squeezing her clutch till her knuckles were white. Every Daily Planet article about LuthorCorp by Clark Kent was written by Superman. Her first meeting with Kara wasn’t about a story, it was two Supers in her office, no doubt scanning it for evil items. Lena’s world recalibrated, and she was shocked by how angry she felt. She was angry that she had been duped again. Lied to. Everyone in her life lied to her. She was lied to about her paternity, Lex’s madness, Lillian’s intentions, lies from Clark Kent—

And Kara.

Kara had lied to her.

Kara, who she had laid in bed with two months ago and thought about marrying, had lied to her.

Lena thought of the employee in her Star City office who had said seeing Kara fly was awesome, and she cringed. Lena had been a teenager the first time she had seen someone fly; it was Superman, and he had been flying outside her bedroom window at Luthor Manor, Lex screaming at him from the drive way. It had been the first hint that Lex was unwell, and that man flying in the sky, possibly protecting her from her own raving mad brother, had been Clark Kent. Clark Kent, the bumbling nice guy reporter who was so righteous it made her embarrassed on his behalf. If Lex ever discovered Superman’s human identity it would mean certain death for those that Clark loved. Lena’s stomach turned. Lex had nothing but hatred for Superman, for his culture and it made her feel ill because that was Kara’s culture, too. How could anyone hate Kara?

Lena leaned her back against the stall wall and took in a deep breath, the metal cool on her exposed shoulders. Clark and Kara were so alike, cousins in every way. They were both earnest and strong, good and noble. And that realization caused the anger and shock she felt to suddenly drain out of her. Because despite all of the rage she felt about being lied to, about feeling vulnerable and weak… Kara had lost a planet. She’d lost her family, her entire culture, gone in a cloud of rock and dust on the other side of the galaxy. It was sobering.

Lena exhaled, her mind tilting yet again. Kara lost everything, yet she still had Clark, she had Superman, and they both had their identities, personas that they wanted everyone to believe them to be so they could live freely. Love freely. Knowing that they had each other, that they had a place to be themselves as Clark Kent and Kara Danvers, made it easier for Lena to understand the deception. She placed her hand over her stomach, her breath coming back to normal, and she concentrated on righting her world with this new information. 

After a long moment spent composing herself, Lena exited the stall and made her way to the mirror. She took her lipstick from her purse and looked up. She caught her reflection and saw herself in a new light. Kara—like Clark—had a secret identity to protect herself so she could protect others. But by lying to her, that also meant that Kara had protected herself from Lena, and as Lena looked at herself in the mirror, she wished that realization didn’t hurt as much as it did.

*************************************

Sam sighed and looked over the top of her laptop screen at Ruby, curled up asleep on her office couch. She had to figure out a way to cut her hours back a little, or at least, leave before midnight on school nights. Sam sighed again and turned her attention back to the files before her. She scrolled through the scanned documents with a tap of her finger on her mouse until she froze, her eyes narrowing.

“Huh,” she said, her lips pulling into a frown. She zoomed in on parts of the document, her frown deepening. Her printer whirred to life, and she clicked back through several other documents, printing those as well. She stood and collected the papers, her body stiff after sitting in her office chair too long. She returned to her desk and spread the documents out before her, her stomach sinking. She looked to her watch and muttered a curse word under her breath. She glanced at Ruby, and then settled back into her chair. She stretched her back, and started to comb through L-Corp’s real estate database. 

*************************************

Kara liked Central City. It was a nice city. Small when compared to it’s coastal cousins, but boasting a beautiful river and numerous green spaces. The people were friendly and grateful for her help, and there were plenty of fun, tasty restaurants to try. She also liked Central City because on nights like this, when the city was fairly peaceful and the weather was pleasant, she could imagine that if she floated down from her perch atop the city’s tallest building and walked the city’s sidewalks, she might bump into Barry Allen. 

She missed Barry.

Missed how he supported and listened to her. She had almost hopped dimensions to see him two weeks before using the device Cisco had given her, but she had talked herself out of it at the last minute. Playing with the laws of physics to visit a friend so he could help soothe her broken heart seemed excessive even to Kara. But it had been close. She wanted to see Barry, talk to The Flash, talk to someone who would understand what it was like to be a superhero. Yes, technically she could talk to Kal-El, but she didn’t want to. He had too much history with Lena’s brother, and he loved Clark Kent too much to understand why her human persona was chaffing. He would be disappointed in her, and she didn’t need yet another disappointed face in her life. 

Plus Barry had Iris. And Kara desperately wanted to talk to Barry about Iris. She wanted to ask him what Iris said when he told her who he was. Did she threaten to leave? Did she leave for a time, and if she left, how did he ever convince her to come back? How did he make things right when she found out that his friends knew the truth, that _he_ knew the truth in every previous moment together and hadn’t made it known? Kara remembered the look on Lena’s face when she had told her the truth, that moment just after she had removed her glasses. The shiny look of Lena’s wide eyes, her beautiful red lips parted in shock. That look haunted her.

Kara took in a deep breath, her fists pressing into the cement edge of the building’s roof and she used all of her restraint to not push just a bit harder and crack the masonry. She was furious with herself for not fighting for Lena. For them. And the great irony was that the reason she didn’t was because she knew Lena so well. Knew that the stubborn, brilliant woman she was in love with would have pushed her away harder if she had showed up at her apartment in National City and demanded Lena talk to her. Lena Luthor owed nobody her time. Kara sighed. Lena had been lied to by everyone in her life. And her response, with all of them, was to cut them out of her life as soon as she found out. She severed ties so completely that sometimes Kara would look at Lena and wonder how she could function with all of that loss. And now, knowing she had contributed to Lena’s pain…

Kara shook her head. Even knowing all of that, she should have fought for Lena, even if it had meant fighting with Lena. She should have followed Lena into the hallway outside of her apartment that first night, should have never given her the space Lena used to distance herself so completely that she could move three days later without a word. That Lena could stare at her from her office building without blinking, that she could exist in this world with Kara in it and not show any indication that she cared or wondered or had loved–

Kara exhaled and stood up straight, aware that she was in danger of breaking the building. She squared her shoulders and licked at her lips, the feelings that she had been trying to run away from for the last few weeks threatening to swallow her whole. She was ashamed. Of her deception. Of her cowardice. Of her respectful absence in a moment of time that screamed in her gut to go to Lena no matter what. And she knew all of it was futile. 

She probably would have been able to convince Lena that her decision to end things was a mistake if she had been just Kara Danvers—that dorky girl from Midvale who was almost too bright and trusting—because Lena was wrong to leave her. She was wrong to leave her because Lena was afraid of something she couldn’t control, wrong to leave her because her brother had scared her to the point that giving up the person she said she loved seemed like a rational decision. Lena was just, wrong in every way. But the second Kara removed her glasses, had looked up at at Lena as herself, that strange creature that was at the same time three different people existing in one space, she had lost her.

It was an awful feeling. To feel undeserving, and oh-so-deserving, of another’s revoked love. Kara exhaled and cocked her head, hearing the alarm at the jewerly store ring as soon as it was tripped, and her lips quirked into a small, fractious smile. No more thinking about Lena. She balled her hands into fists and headed off in a blur to help.

*************************************

Decker hung up the phone and covered his mouth. He waited for the nausea to pass, his stomach roiling at what he had done. Because he had done it, despite the fear, despite the doubt. He had called the FBI tip line again and told them everything he knew, about the device, about the warehouse, and about Horace Rikker. Everything except who he was, how he’d reached Lex Luthor in prison, and his suspicions about Lena Luthor’s involvement with the device. Not mentioning himself was simple self-preservation, and not mentioning Lena was his conscience finally asserting itself. Because as much as it nagged at him, how likely it was that the device belonged to Lena Luthor, it wasn’t right to mention her based on a memory he had about a paper she’d presented years ago at a conference. Not if it might mean that mentioning her would put her in danger with Lex. 

Decker quickly and quietly took the stairs to his bedroom, waking his wife a few minutes before three in the morning. She was confused and then angry as she took in the suitcases at the foot of the bed, her anger turning to fear as Decker explained in quiet detail the last year of his life, a life that up until now was a total mystery to her. 

“We’re leaving right now,” Decker told his wife, gripping her arms almost painfully. “I’ve called the FBI. I told them where the device is, told them there’s a chance there’s a second one and that they have to be careful because these men, they’re not messing around.” He took a deep breath. “I told the FBI that our family might be a target. The FBI has our parents names and they’ll be ok—no, Lisa, they’ll be ok,” he said, his grip momentarily tightening. “If we want to be safe, if we want to get clear of this we have to go right now. OK?” She nodded her head and he nodded and let go of her. He ran his hands over his face, exhaling and then stood. “I’ll get the kids.”

*************************************

The call came in two hours before dawn. Alex extricated herself from Maggie’s arms to answer her phone, and by five o’clock, Alex was staring down a rifle scope at a warehouse guarded by two men with machine guns, J’onn and a full DEO tactical team behind her. The tactical team was waiting for Kara, and as the minutes ticked by, Alex became more ticked off. Because the reason Kara wasn’t there now, the reason why they were all waiting, losing valuable seconds on this assault, was because Supergirl was reportedly in Central City. 

There was a slight whooshing sound and Alex looked up as Kara landed just behind them. “What’s up?” Kara said, walking to Alex and J’onn’s side.

“A tip came in this morning that Lex Luthor has a device in this warehouse,” Alex said, coolly.

“What kind of device?” Kara asked, purposefully ignoring her sister’s chilly tone.

“Unknown,” J’onn answered. “But the tip said the device was suspected to be non-lethal.”

“So we go in and get it,” Kara said, taking a step forward.

“Not so fast,” J’onn said, wrapping a gentle hand around her arm. Kara stopped and looked to him. “The tip also said the building was wired with explosives.”

Kara turned and looked to the building. She scanned the structure with her x-ray vision and her lips formed a determined line. “It is.”

“Okay,” Alex said, turning to her team. “So what we’ll need to do is—“

Before she could finish her thought, Kara was gone, the two men guarding the building suddenly dropped helplessly at Alex’s feet. The DEO team watched as a blur of blue and red whooshed through a corrugated metal wall with a loud, creaking roar, and then a moment later Kara was by their side, device in hand. “There was a gap in the wiring by the roof line,” she said proudly, holding the device out to J’onn and Alex.

“Are you kidding me?” Alex said, stepping toward Kara, her eyebrows shot to her hairline. 

“What?” Kara asked, confused, handing the device to J’onn. Alex tilted her head to the side, ready to continue arguing when machine gun fire opened up on them. They all dove behind cars except Kara, whose lips again formed a determined line. She whooshed off again, collecting bad guys, not noticing the man with the scar calmly walking from the back of the warehouse to a nearby abandoned building, his own small device in hand. He walked to the back of the second building and descended down a manhole ladder to a small submarine in the flooded sewer. He tucked himself into the small, one man vehicle, and piloted away.

*************************************

Alex exited the lab, her hands threaded behind her neck. The DEO had devoted everything they had for the last 24 hours to try to figure out what the recovered device was to no avail. Winn looked like he was going to drop from exhaustion at any minute, and there was no consensus amongst the tech team about whether the device was dangerous or not. 

“Anything new?” Kara asked, twisting her fingers in front of her as she met Alex in the hallway.

“No,” Alex said. She looked at her sister, standing before her in her Supergirl garb, and Alex’s heart squeezed tightly in her chest.

They were awkward, the silence stretching before Kara spoke. “I’m sorry, about the warehouse,” she said. “I should have waited before going in.”

“J’onn talked to you,” Alex said, her eyes squinting, knowingly.

“J’onn lectured me,” Kara corrected and they both smiled.

Alex nodded, her smile fading. “Can we talk?” 

Kara looked nervous but quickly agreed. “Sure.”

They walked to an empty room off of the main command area, Alex pacing away as Kara shut the door behind her. Alex turned, arms crossed, and faced Kara. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

“No,” Kara quickly replied, called out, and Alex raised a challenging eyebrow. Kara’s shoulders fell. “It’s hard,” Kara said and Alex waited for more. Kara shook her head, not sure how much to share. “You’re disappointed in me.”

“No,” Alex said, shaking her head, her arms dropping to her sides. Kara threw a disbelieving look at Alex. “I’m, confused, by you. Talk to me.”

Kara ducked her head. “I can’t.”

Alex sighed heavily. “You can’t talk to me?”

“Not about this,” Kara said, meeting Alex’s eye. 

Alex frowned. “I know, I know I haven’t been what you’ve needed since Lena left. But I want to be.”

Kara nodded and pursed her lips. “I feel like my life is broken, Alex.”

Alex stepped forward. “It’s not broken.”

“What if it is?” Kara looked to the side. “I know you don’t approve of what I’m doing, with CatCo and as Supergirl outside of National City, but… When I’m here, surrounded by Kara Davners’s things, I feel weak. And I don’t want to feel weak.”

“I’m worried about you,” Alex said. “I miss you, Kara.”

Kara frowned. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” Alex said, clearly exasperated. “I don’t want you to be sorry–”

“You want me to be Kara Danvers,” Kara said, and she met Alex’s eye. “And I don’t know if I want to be that person anymore. If I even can be that person anymore.”

“Ok.” Alex said, licking her lips. “But if you’re not Kara Danvers, does that mean I’m not–“

“You will always be my sister,” Kara interrupted. 

Alex swallowed hard. The words were familiar, but the look on Kara’s face was foreign. She looked like she was going through the motions, saying what was expected. Alex sighed and stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Kara and felt her sink into her, but Kara’s arms barely hugged her back. They stood together awkwardly before Kara dipped her head and stepped back, Alex watching her closely as she did. “J’onn’s looking for you,” Kara said, tapping her ear as she nodded to the door.

“Better go then.” Alex briefly hesitated. “Kara.”

Kara looked to Alex expectedly.

“I love you,” Alex said. “No matter what.”

“I love you, too,” Kara said with a smile and Alex swallowed a comment on how forced the expression on Kara’s face seemed to be. They exited the room, both entering the command center. Alex was met by J’onn and they watched as Kara walked toward the platform and flew out of the open window.

“Anything?” J’onn said looking to Alex.

Alex shook her head. “No. The tech teams still don’t know what it is.”

J’onn sighed, frustrated. 

Alex was quiet for a long moment. She warred with the decision but the more it spun around in her brain the more right it felt. “I want to bring Lena in.”

J’onn looked at her, surprised, and then shook his head. “No. We have no cause–“

“Not as a suspect,” Alex interjected. She sighed. “We’re not getting anywhere with that device, and you know that I love Winn, but Lena is brilliant. She grew up idolizing Lex—she might be able to tell us what the hell that thing is.”

J’onn crossed his arms and dropped his chin to his chest in thought. “A consultant.”

Alex opened her mouth and then closed it. “Sure.”

“And Kara?” J’onn asked. 

Alex took a deep breath. “I’ll deal with that.”

J’onn nodded. “I’ll have Mr. Schott prepare a lab.”

Alex nodded and they went their opposite directions. Alex looked down to her phone and cycled to a text screen. ‘Going to miss dinner again. Xo’ Her phone pinged and Alex looked down to see a supportive response from Maggie. Alex swallowed hard, replied with a quick ‘xo’ and left the DEO.


	5. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena pursed her lips and nodded, her gaze fixed on her desk. “And what about Kara?” She met Alex’s eye.
> 
> “She’ll be fine,” Alex said. “She wants this to be over.”

Horace Rikker rubbed his hand over his jaw. He hadn’t shaved since he left National City, a fact that only showed on the half of his face that wasn’t covered in a raised, red scar. He looked at the blueprints laid out before him. He was in a warehouse in Star City, just another drafty building in a long line of industrial spaces that he’d been occupying recently. He had a busy few days in front of him. He needed to meet up with the remnants of the crew that had escaped capture from the government’s National City raid in Star City, as well as a small team of money men who would finance the next phase of his operation. 

He stood and stretched his back. The submarine he’d used to escape National City wasn’t meant for long distances, and the ride to Star City had been a cramped one. He turned and looked at the device sitting on the table behind him. Not as pretty as the one the DEO had captured, but it would do the job. He looked to its left and exhaled, admiring the Warsuit hanging from a chain attached to the rafters. Lex’s Warsuit, or at least, a reasonable copy. Horace tried to imagine how it would feel to wear, how it would feel to walk past guards, device in hand, and accomplish something he and Lex had discussed doing years before Luthor was imprisoned.

Rikker sighed. If he did what Lex asked, he’d be free to get back to what he wanted to do with his talents instead of indefinitely waiting for Luthor’s anti-alien war to kick off. Sure, Rikker believed in the Cause—almost as much as Lex—but more so as a matter of practicality than a fervent life’s mission. Superman ruined all of his fun before, and if he needed Kryptonians gone so he could get back to what he did best… Rikker rubbed his face once more and smirked at the suit. He grabbed a jacket, and headed off into the night to find a convenience store and a disposable razor. 

***************************************************************************************************

“Agent Danvers.” Lena leaned back in her Star City office chair, a pen held tightly in her hand as she watched Alex enter her office. Lena’s assistant discreetly closed the door, leaving them alone, and Lena smirked at Alex’s patient posture. “You’re in Star City bright and early.”

“Lena,” Alex replied. 

Lena’s eyebrow arched and she cocked her head. “I didn’t know we were on a first name basis again.”

“Do all CEOs start their work days just after dawn?”

“I don’t compare myself to others so I wouldn’t know,” Lena said. “I thought Agent Benitez was handling all things L-Corp in Star City.”

“He is,” Alex said. “But this is about a situation in National City.”

The color ran from Lena’s face. “Kara–“

“Is fine,” Alex said calmly, a slight smile on her lips. 

Lena exhaled slowly, subtly. “Supergirl’s been busy,” she said, looking closely at Alex.

“She has.” 

Lena tilted her head again. “But you’re not here to talk about that.”

“No,” Alex replied, the same small smile on her lips. She stepped forward and showed Lena a tablet featuring an image of the device the DEO had siezed in National City. “Do you know what this is?”

Lena placed the pen she was holding on her laptop and stood. She walked around her desk to get a better look at the image, and after a moment spent studying it, looked up and met Alex’s eye. “Should I?”

“It belonged to your brother.”

Lena crossed her arms and squeezed her bicep, her expression cold. “L-Corp doesn’t have anything to do with–“

“I’m not accusing you of anything,” Alex interrupted, exasperated. “The men who attacked you in National City, we think they were part of something bigger than we initially thought, and during a raid two nights ago we found this tech at one of their strongholds.”

“And?”

“The DEO doesn’t know what the device is, or what it does, only that it was important enough to be held in a heavily-guarded facility,” Alex said. “I was hoping you could figure it out.”

Lena’s gaze dropped to the tablet and she stared at the image for another long moment. She leaned back to rest against the edge of her desk and looked up at Alex. “I’ve seen DEO tech. I know you have plenty of bright, capable minds that you could put on this project.”

“But they don’t know how your brother thinks.”

Lena’s look was hostile. “I’ll try not to be offended that you think I can understand the mind of a madman.”

“If I could do this any other way, I would,” Alex said. “But the little we do know about this thing is that it’s dangerous. We need to know how it works in case there’s another one out there and someone tries to use it.”

Lena exhaled heavily. She licked her lips and shifted to stand more upright. “Have it transferred to the labs here and I’ll see what I can do.”

“No.”

“No?” Lena asked, her eyebrows arching. “I’m offering to help.”

“And I’m grateful,” Alex replied. “But it can’t be moved from our facility in National City.”

Lena’s expression turned grim. “Absolutely not.”

“You’d have full access to a well-equipped lab in the DEO facility–“

“Supergirl’s facility,” Lena corrected, angrily. 

“I wouldn’t ask you if I thought there was any other way,” Alex snapped. “You know this.”

Lena squared her shoulders. “Does she know?”

Alex opened her mouth and then closed it. “I haven’t had a chance to tell her yet.” Lena’s brow knit. “Like you said earlier, Supergirl’s been busy.”

They stared for a long moment before Lena lightly rubbed her forehead along her hairline. She stopped and righted herself. “When would you need me to start?”

“I have a plane waiting at the airport.”

Lena’s smile was incredulous. “It’ll take me longer than packing my briefcase to leave. I have meetings I need to reschedule, duties I need to delegate.”

“Every minute that we’re here, is a minute that God knows what is happening out in the world.”

Lena flexed her jaw, then exhaled. She pressed a button on the phone on her desk.

“Yes, Ms. Luthor?”

“Hector, can you please set up a call with Sam to begin as soon as she’s in? Tell her to clear at least an hour, maybe two.”

“Yes, Ms. Luthor.”

Lena ended the exchange and looked critically at Alex. “How long will I be in National City?”

Alex shrugged. “You’re volunteering, so as long as you are willing to help.”

“‘Volunteering’.” Lena exhaled with a breathy, disbelieving laugh. Her smile faded quickly. “I’ll need to stop by my apartment here for clothes.”

“Whatever you need.”

Lena pursed her lips and nodded, her gaze fixed on her desk. “And what about Kara?” She met Alex’s eye.

“She’ll be fine,” Alex said. “She wants this to be over.”

Lena nodded, accepting the answer. “I’ll be on this call for a while; you can wait outside. If you need anything—coffee, breakfast—ask Hector, he’ll be happy to help.”

“Thank you,” Alex said and Lena nodded in reply. She sat down at her desk and began to organize her things. Alex started to walk out before stopping and turning. “Lena? You’ll need to sign some NDAs.”

“Wouldn’t have expected anything else,” Lena said, glancing up at Alex before diving back into her work. 

Alex nodded and stepped outside of Lena’s office. She walked past Lena’s assistant, feeling his eyes follow her as she stopped near a turn in the hallway. She opened the text app on her phone, took a deep breath and typed. 

Alex: Can you meet me at the DEO in a couple of hours?

She watched as three dots appeared on the screen.

Kara: Busy but will try

Alex exhaled nervously, and busied herself with waiting. 

***************************************************************************************************

Alex walked down a hallway in the DEO, her eyes looking around until she saw her sister walking away from her down a long corridor. “Kara.” Alex picked up her pace as Kara turned around. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Kara said. “You said a couple of hours and it’s been four.”

“It took me longer than I thought to get here,” Alex said, clearly frustrated. “I need to talk to you for a minute.”

“Can you catch me up later? Something’s come up that I want to get t–”

“Lena’s here,” Alex blurted out. She had been blown off enough in the last month to know it was better to just be out with the important stuff or miss the chance to speak.

“Oh.” Kara blinked several times as the news settled, her gaze dropping to the floor. “Well, that makes sense, L-Corp still has a large presence in National City–“

“No, she’s here,” Alex clarified. “At the DEO.”

Kara’s head snapped up and the color ran from her face. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Alex quickly assured. “She’s fine, she’s not hurt.” Alex briefly hesitated. “She’s here to look at Lex’s tech.”

Kara’s look turned flinty. “She’s what?” 

“The DEO’s tech teams are stumped, and if anyone would know anything about how Lex thinks–“

“Did you–? Alex, Lex and Lena are nothing alike, why would she know _anything_ about how–“ Kara abruptly cut herself off and looked over Alex’s shoulder to the empty corridor beyond. Alex’s brow furrowed at the deer in the headlights look on Kara’s face, and Alex turned her own head to face the same direction. 

A faint sound got louder until Lena took the corner in full stride, her heels clicking on the polished floor, her voice tight and commanding as she spoke to a flustered agent trailing at her heel. “But Ms. Luthor–“

Lena stopped short as she recognized Alex and Kara standing together several feet away. Lena’s breath caught, and she quickly swallowed hard to try to recover. 

“I thought I told you to wait,” Alex snarled, looking from Lena to the junior agent.

“Don’t be hard on him, he was trying to keep me in the room where you left me,” Lena said to Alex. Lena looked to Kara, standing stock still in her Supergirl suit. 

“Hi,” Kara said, her eyes wide, her posture rigid. 

Lena slightly nodded and turned her attention back to Alex. “I need my phone, Agent Danvers.”

Kara’s eyes widened further in surprise at Lena’s response to her hello. Alex’s jaw tightened and she turned away from Kara to fully face Lena. “You signed a form on the plane that said, ‘No external devices in the DEO’.”

“I didn’t think you were serious,” Lena said with a condescending smile. “I am the CEO of a multibillion dollar corporation, Agent Danvers, there’s only so much time I can be away and only so much my CFO can do without my input.”

Alex opened her mouth to argue, but stopped when Kara gently put her hand on her arm. “I’m gonna go,” Kara said softly.

“No, wait,” Alex said, turning to face Kara. 

“Thank you, Alex, for the information.” Kara looked to both Lena and Agent Hoyer, flashing the frazzled junior agent a kind smile, before she took a step backward. Lena briefly looked Kara’s way before refocusing her attention on Alex, and Kara felt Lena’s snub as if punched in the stomach.

Alex took a step to follow Kara, her voice dropping, “Kara–“

“I’ll catch up with you later,” Kara said, smiling tightly before turning and walking away, her cape fluttering behind her. 

Alex stood there, mouth open before she exhaled slowly, a vein appearing in the center of her forehead. She turned back to Lena and the other agent, and Agent Hoyer visibly tensed at the angry look on Alex’s face. Alex flexed her jaw and started to walk toward Lena. “Follow me,” she growled, and Lena and the agent fell in behind her, following wordlessly down the maze of hallways that lead to the bullpen.

As they entered the central command area, the junior agent who had been accompanying them peeled away and returned to their work station. Lena did a quick look around the large room, her face hiding her surprise as she recognized a few familiar faces staring at her from alongside a wall of monitors and computers. Lena quickly looked away, and reminded herself that she needed to get her thudding heart under control. She took in a subtle breath and tried to appear calm as she stopped by Alex’s side. 

“I think her outfit costs more than my car,” Winn whispered to J’onn. J’onn rolled his eyes in reply before stepping forward to greet Alex and Lena. 

“Ms. Luthor.” J’onn offered his hand and she shook it. Lena looked between him and Winn, her lips slightly pursing. “Thank you for agreeing to come.”

“I’m not sure I had much choice,” Lena said, meeting his eye. “But you’re welcome.”

J’onn smiled pleastantly. “Agent Danvers and Agent Schott will be assisting you. If you need anything, anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask. You’re our guest, Ms. Luthor, and we are grateful for your time. Agents,” he said nodding to all three with an accomodating smile. He flashed Alex a quick look and then left, Alex staring dumbfounded as he retreated before she swallowed her surprise and turned back to Lena. 

“Lena, hey,” Winn said with a small friendly wave. 

“Winn,” Lena replied, her face cold.

When she didn’t continue or offer any pleasantries, he looked to Alex and then back to Lena. “Ah, OK, so, you’re going to be working in one of our best labs, it’s down hallway A. Here’s your keycard,” he said handing her a laminated card. Lena glanced at it briefly before tilting her chin up and looking around the room. “That card will give you access to hallways A and B. Bathrooms are in hallway A and the vending machines are hallway B.” He smiled at her. “No money necessary.”

“Which way to the lab?” Lena asked. 

“Oh,” Winn said. “Uh, well, the lab isn’t all the way set up, right now.”

“That’s all right I just want to see the device,” Lena said, her gaze landing on Alex.

Winn looked to Alex and then back to Lena. “Right, and you’ll be able to start, later, after–“

“I’d like to see it, now,” Lena calmly interrupted.

Winn again looked to Alex. “Uh…”

Lena set her jaw and squared her shoulders. “Agent Danvers practically perp walked me out of my own building under the assumption that my time is less valuable than this device is dangerous, so I’m going to see it now. Thank you.”

Winn turned to Alex, his eyes wide as he shrugged. Alex grudgingly nodded. 

“OK,” Winn said, turning back to Lena and clapping his hands together. “Now it is. Right this way.” He exchanged a look with Alex and they started off toward the lab. 

They exited the command center and Winn leaned in close to Alex as they walked, Lena following a few steps behind them. “CEO Lena is a lot scarier than Game Night Lena,” he whispered, and Alex rolled her eyes.

A short walk down two hallways led them to a large sterile lab with white walls. The lab was equipped with two L-shaped lab tables with poured concrete work surfaces, and a stainless steel desk in the far corner. There were stainless steel counters along two walls beneath dark gray cabinets, and a third wall featured racks of computer tech and a door to a supply closet. Several IT techs were hard at work assembling the various devices and they looked up, surprised to have visitors. The techs exchanged looks with each other and packed up quickly and efficiently when Alex nodded at them to leave. Once they left and the door was closed, Winn spoke to Lena. “You’ll be working on a closed server.”

“Of course,” Lena said, her eyes never meeting Alex or Winn’s as she scanned her new work space.

Alex and Winn shared a look before Alex walked forward and pressed a button on the side of the central lab table. The device emerged from a hidden panel in the center of the table. Lena stepped forward to look at it once the delivery mechanism stopped moving, the curious glint in her eyes clearly showing recognition. 

“Do you know what it could be?” Alex asked, watching Lena closely.

Lena stopped next to the device and stared. After a long moment she reached forward and confidently pushed a barely concealed button on the side of the device, and Alex and Winn flinched when the machine opened like a flower, revealing a complicated interior. 

“What are you doing?” Alex demanded, clearly panicked by the ease with which Lena opened the device.

“We don’t just push buttons on weird tech in the DEO,” Winn yelled. 

“I knew it wouldn’t explode,” Lena said calmly as she carefully examined the outside of the machine. 

“How?!” Winn cried.

“Because it looks like one of my designs from before I took over L-Corp,” Lena replied. 

Alex stepped forward and gave Lena a scathing look. “I thought you said you didn’t know what it is.”

“I don’t, for certain,” Lena said, looking at the machine. She looked up and met Alex’s eye. “Well I couldn’t tell from a picture on a tablet,” Lena said. “It’s less about form and more the line of the thing,” she said looking back to the machine. “This is smaller, a slightly different shape and color. But the way it presents, how it fits together along the base…” She peered inside and leaned back, before casually reaching her hand inside the small machine. 

“Oh God,” Winn said, his fists balling before him in dreaded anticipation.

Lena pressed a button and removed her hand, and a center column extended and unfurled.

“Stop. Pressing. Buttons,” Winn said, pacing away, his fists resting against his forehead in exasperation.

“It doesn’t have a power source,” Lena said coolly. “This is all mechanical.”

“How do you know?” Alex demanded, Winn returning to her side and dropping his hands dramatically.

“Again, I don’t for sure, but in my design the power went here,” Lena said, pointing to the center column. “And the space in this device is empty.”

“Oh, we could have died,” Winn said, patting his chest with his open hand.

Lena’s brow quirked as she looked at them. “What makes you think this is dangerous?” 

“What makes you think it’s not?” Alex retorted.

“Because despite some minor modifications, it looks like a machine I designed to help protect people from developing cancer.”

“How minor?” Alex asked. 

“I won’t know until I take it apart.” Lena focused her attention on Alex. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“The building we found it in was wired to explode,” Alex answered.

“OK,” Lena said, drawing the word out. “But this isn’t a bomb.”

“It was protected with one,” Alex challenged. 

Lena looked around the room and then back to the machine. 

“How does Lex have your design?” Alex asked, her eyes slightly narrowing.

“He’s a talented super genius, Agent Danvers. The encryption on my servers was probably comically easy for him to bypass,” Lena said as she returned her attention to the device. 

“Doesn’t sound smart,” Alex said. “Storing proprietary tech on a network without safeguards.”

“Oh, I had safeguards,” Lena said absently as she looked at a section of the machine before she glanced over her shoulder with a smile at Alex. “But I thought I was protecting my start up from run-of-the-mill hackers, not my brother.”

“Why would he want a machine that protects people from developing cancer?” Winn asked. 

Lena exhaled and stood before sternly looking at both Alex and Winn. “This is going to go a lot more smoothly if you both stop assuming I know anything about my brother’s intentions.” Her gaze darted between them. “He likely was snooping, saw something he could repurpose, and took it.” She sneered and turned back to the machine. “Even if taking it hurt me.”

“He hacked your plans,” Alex said. “Your servers should have a trace of that.”

Lena smiled. “Lex has an eidetic memory; he wouldn’t have needed to download the files. Just a few glances at my schematics and he’d have everything he’d need to know.”

“That’s convenient,” Alex snipped.

“That’s the truth,” Lena replied coldly, turning to face Alex, and Alex responded by squaring her shoulders as if readying for a fight. 

“Whoa, OK, OK,” Winn said, stepping between the two women, his hands up. “I think we all agree that Lex Luthor is the person we don’t like, right?” He looked between both women until they each looked away. “Right?” 

Lena turned her severe gaze back to Alex. “When can I get started?”

Alex looked to Winn and he sputtered an answer. “An hour, maybe?”

Lena sighed, frustrated with the answer. 

“What will you need?” Alex asked and Lena looked to Alex with a guarded look. 

“Tools,” Lena said, turning her attention to Winn. “A complete set, powered and manual. A computer with ample processing speed–“

“I’ve got it,” Winn said. She raised an eyebrow at him. “Trust me, you’ll have everything you need.”

Lena nodded and then turned back to the device. 

“How long do you think it will take to figure out?” Alex said.

Lena looked to Alex and smiled. “For me to figure out my super villian brother’s hack of my intellectual property?” She looked back to the device, her smile fading. “I don’t know.”

Alex and Winn exchanged a look.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex walked into the bullpen. She gritted her teeth as she scanned the room, and made a beeline to J’onn’s side once she spotted him. “Where did you go earlier? And why are Winn and I suddenly in charge of Lena and the device?” Alex asked in a low voice. J’onn sighed and pulled her to a quiet corner of the room. 

“Several months ago, Kara and I had dinner and she told me if she ever found out I had used my telepathy on Ms. Luthor, she would quit the DEO.”

“What?” Alex asked, startled. “Kara never mentioned that.”

“She said that Ms. Luthor was her girlfriend, and that any attempt on my part to read her mind or mood without Ms. Luthor’s permission would be a violation of her privacy that Kara would take personally and seriously.”

Alex opened her mouth and then shut it again. “They broke up.”

J’onn put his hands on his hips. “Do you think that’s a distinction that would matter to Kara?” Alex looked away. “I left earlier because Ms. Luthor’s mood was so chaotic I was worried I would involuntarily break my promise.”

“Chaotic?” Alex asked, her brow furrowed as she turned back to J’onn.

“Ms. Luthor is feeling so many emotions simultaneously it is a wonder that she is able to form coherent sentences.” He raised his eyebrows at Alex. “A credit to her strong mind.” Alex rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “Does she know anything about the device?”

“She said it was one of her designs from when she ran a start up before L-Corp, something that she was designing to help prevent people from getting cancer. She wouldn’t get into the details.” Alex briefly paused. “She said Lex must have stolen it from her servers.” She arched an eyebrow and pressed her lips together in a disbelieving smile.

“You doubt her story.”

“From what I know about Lex Luthor, stealing something from his own sister is definitely something he would do.” Alex sighed. “But Lena’s smart. I have a hard time thinking that she wouldn’t have protected her ideas better.”

“Lex Luthor is a singular mind.”

“So is Lena,” Alex countered.

J’onn nodded. He looked closely at Alex. “Does Kara know she’s here?”

Alex nodded and looked to her feet. “I told her.”

“And?” 

Alex looked up. “They ran into each other in the hallway. It was… pleasant, enough,” Alex said, trying her best to sell it. “Kara didn’t stick around, though.”

J’onn frowned. “She’s in Opal City—a manufacturing fire.”

“Did you send her?“

“I did not,” J’onn said. He regarded Alex for a long moment. “You need to talk to her.” Alex looked away and nodded. “Everyone’s emotions are heightened right now,” he warned and Alex frowned. “Make sure Kara is comfortable with this.”

Alex glanced up and nodded again. She sighed, and after sharing another brief look with J’onn, she went to track down Winn.

***************************************************************************************************

Kara walked into the bullpen, her cape fluttering behind her. It was shift-change time, so the floor was a little more quiet than usual. She saw Alex and Winn sitting together, whispering angrily, and Kara’s brow furrowed as she approached them. “What, is happening here?” Kara asked gingerly as they turned, both seething.

“Lena,” Winn snapped, his hands balled into fists and resting on his thighs. “Lena is happening here.”

A slight involuntary smile pulled at Kara’s lips. “She tried to turn the mystery machine on, didn’t she.”

“She opened it without knowing what it does,” Winn said, clearly stressed.

Kara’s smile grew, despite herself. She shrugged her shoulders. “Lena takes risks.”

“Oh does she,” Winn said sarcastically, furiously nodding his head. “Does she take risks.”

“She’s in the DEO, she needs to follow our rules,” Alex said, her voice tired.

“Uh,” Kara’s smile turned into a slight chuckle. “Good luck with that.” She started to walk away and Alex instantly went alert. She hopped up and jogged to Kara’s side, stopping her before she could leave. 

“Hey,” Alex said, her voice soft and concerned. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, a big smile on her face. 

“Are you sure?” Alex twisted her fingers together.

“Yeah,” Kara repeated. “I mean, my ex-girlfriend who I haven’t seen in two and a half months is here, where I work, and I don’t understand why she is here, where I work, because she shouldn’t have to clean up after Lex–”

Alex sighed. “Kara–“ 

“And I don’t understand why I had to find out after she was already here and suddenly standing in the hallway not saying hi to me when I said hi to her, but I’m fine,” Kara said through a tooth grin. “This is fine, I’m sure this will be fine.”

“You don’t sound fine,” Winn called from several feet away. “You sound ‘dog in a burning room meme’ fine.”

Alex groaned and shot Winn a look before pulling Kara further away. “Are you mad at me for bringing her here?” 

“Why would I be mad at you when I just said that this was totally fine?” Kara said, a forced smile on her lips. “I’m fine.”

“OK,” Alex said, her brow knit, clearly uneasy with Kara’s protestations.

“I’m so fine, I’m going to go get donuts,” Kara announced. “Do you want donuts, Winn?”

“Sure, I went to the gym yesterday,” he said, rubbing a hand over his stomach.

“Do you want a donut?” Kara turned to look at Alex, who just looked back at her, confused. “I’ll get you a donut. Be back in a little bit.”

She left the room and Alex slowly turned to face Winn, a perplexed look on her face. 

“Yeah,” Winn said slowly, looking to where Kara exited. “She just walked in the wrong direction.” He met Alex’s eye. “She is not fine with this,” he said, shaking his head and turning back to his computer terminal. “At all.”

Alex sighed, her confidence shaken.

***************************************************************************************************

Kara turned down the corridor, her brow stitched. She was too embarrassed to turn around and exit the way she came. She had meant to have a smoother interaction with Alex, but everything about the day had seemed to go against her, including the Opal City Fire Department putting the fire out before she could even properly help. Her cape gently flowed behind her and she looked up just in time to stop suddenly and avoid running into someone exiting the women’s bathroom. “I’m sorry,” she started. “I didn’t…” Her voice petered out as saw who she’d almost run into. 

“Hi,” Lena said, surprised, her hands clasped before her. The two women froze, staring at each other wide-eyed in the otherwise empty space, before Kara smiled uncomfortably and Lena briefly looked away. “Because of course my first one-on-one run in with my superhero ex-girlfriend is outside of the bathroom in a secret government facility.” Lena’s cheeks flushed, and she returned her gaze to Kara with a tight smile.

“Where else would we have run into each other?” Kara said, trying to keep her voice light. 

Lena slightly shrugged. “I’m sorry I didn’t say hello earlier. To be honest I saw you and froze.” She looked to her hands. “Old habits die hard; I almost called you Supergirl.” She looked up and met Kara’s eye. When Kara didn’t reply, Lena sputtered, “I hope you know this wasn’t my idea.”

“It was Alex’s.” 

“I suggested she transfer the device to my lab in Star City but–“

“She said no. You don’t have to explain.”

“Right,” Lena trailed off. “So, how’ve you been?”

Kara smiled. “I don’t think you want me to answer that honestly,” she said, her frame tense and Lena’s face fell. Kara cleared her throat. “I appreciate that you’re here,” Kara said, her voice confident. She awkwardly placed her hands on her hips and straightened her shoulders. “What you’re doing is important. The citizens of Earth owe you a great debt.”

Lena’s brow quirked at Kara’s superhero pose, the mood shifting to become even more uncomfortable and off-kilter. It was strange, she felt like she was talking to Supergirl and not the woman she’d only recently been romantically involved with. Lena stammered as she spoke, trying to recover some familiarity with a smile. “It’s actually kind of nice seeing where you ran off to all those times there was an emergency.”

“I didn’t always come here,” Kara said coolly. “Most of the time I was actually out helping people.”

“Of course,” Lena said, corrected, her smile fading.

The look on Lena’s face caused Kara’s superhero-act to falter. Her shoulders sagged and she exhaled. “We don’t have to do this,” Kara said quietly, her hands moving from her hips. “Make small talk in the halls.”

“OK,” Lena said, surprised.

“You made it perfectly clear when you moved that you didn’t want to talk to me again. No reason to change that now.”

Lena swallowed hard, her head bobbing. “Whatever you want.”

They were the wrong words to speak. Kara’s head cocked to the side and her eyes flashed with anger. “Whatever I want?” Her brow knit. “How big of you to care about my feelings now.”

Lena flexed her jaw and took a breath, as if she knew this exchange was coming. “I thought it was best for us both to have a clean break. That doesn’t mean I stopped caring about you.”

“You care about me,” Kara said, her eyes narrowing. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“Kara–“

“What would have been best for me, is if you had talked to me about what was really going on instead of giving me some stupid excuse about why we broke up. I deserved better than that.”

Lena steamed and she looked to the side. “Is there someplace we can go to talk?” she asked in a low tone.

“Here’s fine,” Kara said, defiantly.

Lena’s forehead crumpled. “In the hallway where you work?”

Kara flexed her jaw and then stomped off, Lena following her with an eye roll. Kara ducked into a large, unoccupied conference room and Lena followed, closing the door once inside. Kara started to pace and Lena stood still, watching her. 

“Go ahead,” Lena said calmly. “Let’s clear the air.”

Kara turned and faced Lena. “How can you be so cold? This isn’t you.”

“It isn’t who you want me to be.”

“You’re acting like Lillian.”

Lena paused, as if slapped in the face. She set her jaw before speaking calmly. “Well, now that you’ve said the most hurtful thing you could think of, do you feel better?”

“No,” Kara said. Her brow quirked, contritely, before she raised her chin defiantly. “And that’s, probably, not the most hurtful thing I can say.”

Lena smirked. “You know, it was nice to see familiar faces here other than Alex. So Winn and J’onn know that you’re Supergirl. I assume that means Maggie and James know, as well.”

“They do,” Kara said, warily.

“So, the whole Game Night crew except for the person you were sleeping with.”

Kara’s face fell. “I can explain.”

“You don’t have to,” Lena said with a shake of her head. “That’s the beauty of being exes, never having to explain your actions again. Although.” Lena pursed her lips. “When we ran into each other earlier, Alex called you Kara right in front of Agent Hoyer. She said it so casually.” Kara was silent and Lena’s face tightened. “Random agents at the DEO know your identity, and I didn’t.”

“I wanted to tell you.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I didn’t tell you because Alex and the DEO–” Kara stopped herself and pursed her own lips in anger. “You know what, no.” She looked up and met Lena’s eye. “You don’t care about this.”

Lena’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “I don’t?”

“No.” Kara shook her head again. “Because when I did tell you the truth the night you left me, you didn’t ask me any questions beyond how my glasses work. None, as in, zero. If you cared, you would have asked me then about why I kept the truth from you, about why I even had a secret identity.” 

Lena flexed her jaw. 

“Winn _still_ follows me around and asks me questions, and he’s known forever!” Kara said, throwing her hand out from her side toward the general direction of the bullpen before dropping it heavily against her leg. “And you, you just walked away.”

Lena nodded. “While I appreciate that for some it may seem novel, you keep forgetting that you are not the first Super I’ve met. My brother was obsessed with Superman.”

“So you know a lot about Superman,” Kara said. “But what about me? After everything we’ve been through, how could you not want to know more about me?”

Lena looked away.

“Did you know I found out that you moved to Star City by watching you talk about it on TV?” Kara stepped forward and Lena looked up and met her angry gaze. “I was at work, at CatCo, in front of all of my co-workers. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?”

Lena stayed silent, impassive, and Kara fumed. 

“I defended you. I stood up for you when no-one else would, time after time, and you humiliated me. You made it look like you were everything everyone ever said about you—cold and ruthless—and there I was, still defending you after you left. To James, to Winn, to Alex, because I loved you.” She exhaled. “You have no idea how much you hurt me.”

“No, I don’t think I do,” Lena said calmly. “Tell me.”

“Why?” Kara said bitterly, her face twisting. “So I can feed into your ‘No such thing as a good Luthor’ narrative? You told me that you loved me, and then you cut me off.”

“Tried,” Lena corrected. “I tried, to cut you off. But you followed me to Star City.” Kara was quiet. “And why were you in Star City, exactly?”

“Because I had never been there before, and I wanted to see what was more important than us.”

“And the other, countless times you returned after the first visit?”

“Star City is no different than National City; people needed my help,” Kara said simply and Lena looked chastened. “And it was easier, knowing that you were safe.”

“Safe,” Lena said wryly with a smile. “Luthors are never safe.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that.” 

“I’ve lost enough people to know that it does,” Lena said coldly. 

“Loss doesn’t have to define you.” 

Lena looked to Kara sharply. 

“I lost an entire planet,” Kara said. “Everyone I knew, my entire culture. But I found a home here on Earth, with Alex, with Eliza, my friends. And you. I never felt more like myself than with you.” 

“Which self?” Lena said. “Kara Danvers or Supergirl?”

“You didn’t have to cut me off,” Kara continued, ignoring Lena’s jab. “Did you know my trip to Earth wasn’t like my cousin’s? I spent years in space in a place called the Phantom Zone, alone. I was alone, and then I came to a strange planet, I had powers I didn’t understand, my cousin abandoned me, Alex hated me.” She briefly paused. “I’ve been alone before, I know what being alone feels like, but what you did to me made me feel alone in a way I had never felt before.”

Lena’s jaw set. “You can’t make me feel bad for things I didn’t know about. I walked into your apartment the night we broke up thinking I was dating a girl from Midvale, not the last daughter of Krypton.”

“And if you knew that I was Supergirl before that night, would you have left?”

“Yes, because it was the right thing to do,” Lena said coolly. She shrugged. “We weren’t a good match.” Kara smiled and Lena flushed red. “You think that’s funny.”

“I do,” Kara said. “Because if you knew what that meant on Krypton you’d know how wrong you are.”

“Well tell me.” Kara balked at Lena’s biting tone, and her twisted, angry smile. “You accuse me of being cold, but how could I possibly be anything else when everyone I come in contact with lies to me or only offers half truths.”

Kara dipped her head. When she spoke, her voice was subdued, her smile gone. “On Krypton, everyone was born with a purpose.” She met Lena’s eye. “Mates were married according to their roles. My father was a scientist. You—a brilliant inventor—would have been seen as a good match for me by my parents.”

Lena paused for a long moment as Kara’s words sunk in. “Is that why you were with me? Because we would have been a suitable match on Krypton?”

“No,” Kara said, her brow knitting. “I was with you because I fell in love with you.”

Lena bobbed her head, disbelieving. “Maybe that’s what you wanted to believe.”

“What does that mean?”

“Face it, Kara, our romantic life left a lot to be desired,” Lena blurted, and she pressed her lips together in frustration when she saw Kara’s face blanch and then flood red.

“You weren’t happy?” Kara asked, her voice halting and embarrassed. “With… that…?”

Lena licked her lips and exhaled heavily. “You barely let me touch you, and when you touched me it was like you’d rather have been doing anything else,” Lena said. She watched as Kara’s chest started to rise and fall, visibly angry. Lena set her jaw and plowed on. “I tried to explain it away, but maybe the reality is that we should have never become lovers.”

Kara exhaled slowly, frozen, before reaching over and grasping a touchscreen conference phone. The thing shattered in her hand and Lena flinched. Tears stung Kara’s eyes as she let the broken phone go, her voice wavering as she spoke with embarrassment and anger. “My super strength doesn’t have an on/off switch. It’s always on, and every single time I touch someone or something, I have to think about regulating my strength,” Kara said. “In high school I broke the nose of the first boy I ever kissed. I’ve broken four boy’s noses when kissing them, actually. I spent years working up the courage to hug someone, to hold someone without breaking their ribs like twigs. Hugging you, holding your hand, kissing you—I knew how to do that because I had practiced that before with other people.” She took a shaky breath. “But when you would touch me, when I would touch you, it would feel so good that I couldn’t think, and that was scary. I was scared. I was afraid that I would lose control and hurt you and I can’t think of anything worse than accidentally hurting you because I was careless.” 

Silence stretched between them. “I didn’t know,” Lena finally said, honestly contrite.

“Because I didn’t tell you,” Kara replied, her voice equally contrite. 

Lena nodded and swallowed hard. She thought of the last two months, how many hours she’d spent thinking about Kara and Kara’s experience on Earth. She swallowed hard as she met Kara’s eye. “There’s a lot I don’t know about you.”

“And clearly I could say the same about you,” Kara said.

Lena ducked her head and nodded, the words stinging, because Kara knew her better than anyone else in the world. There was another long moment of quiet between them. “I don’t want to fight with you, Kara,” Lena said looking up, her brow wrinkled. “I had hoped that by ending our relationship you would be happy. Be able to live a normal life.”

Kara’s face twisted. “I will never live a normal life. That’s not an option for me.” Lena dipped her head and Kara stared, confused. “How did it get like this? You were my best friend.”

“No, I wasn’t,” Lena said, her voice tired and distant as she looked up. “Best friends share themselves with each other. I don’t know what I was to you.” She turned away from Kara and placed her hands on the back of a conference chair and exhaled, the emotional toll of the argument catching up to her. 

“Everything.”

Lena startled and looked back to Kara. Kara who was looking at her with tears in her eyes. 

“You were everything,” Kara said. When Lena didn’t reply, Kara set her jaw angrily, and exited the room.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena stayed in the conference room for far longer than she intended after Kara left. She felt like she couldn’t move, the shattered telephone in the middle of the table mocking her. Everything they had just said to each other, the words she had said to Kara… Lena squeezed her eyes shut in shame before blinking them open and taking a steadying breath.

Kara had been scared. Every time they had made love, Kara had been terrified, and that thought made Lena’s chest ache. When she finally felt like she could walk, when she felt she had shoved the feelings that had exploded inside of her back into the boxes she usually kept them crammed inside, she made her way to the lab in a trance. She glanced up, surprised to still see people in the space when she arrived, and she stared, awkwardly at the two equally surprised DEO techs who had been packing up their briefcases. “Ms. Luthor.”

She smiled, the action wrong-feeling given her emotional state. “Please, call me Lena.”

The two DEO agents both smiled pleasantly, indicating that in no way would they ever be calling her that. Lena just nodded, accepting the fact, and the taller of the two men stepped forward. “You’re all set up. You’ve been assigned an assistant should you need one. Just use the intercom along the far wall and dial 9 to call for them. Agent Schott’s extension is 11 should you need his assistance.”

“And Agent Danvers?” Lena asked.

The two men looked to each other before the taller spoke. “Best to call Agent Schott first.”

Lena subtly rolled her eyes. “Thank you,” she said. The two men exited, closing the door behind them, and Lena’s shoulders sagged, her breath exhaling shaky and slow. She placed her hands flat on the closest concrete countertop and concentrated on breathing, in and out, slow and steady. The walls in the facility were thick, but she doubted any were lead-lined, and she didn’t want Kara to hear how much their conversation had affected her. 

Lena stood there, hands seeping in the cold from the concrete until her breath was a fair approximation of normal, her heartbeat relatively steady. She pulled her hands back from the countertop and took a deep breath, congratulating herself for successfully keeping the tears at bay. She moved to the laptop sitting on the counter, and pressed the button Alex had pressed earlier for the device to be delivered. Lena watched as it rose from the center of the counter, and her jaw tightened as she stared at the fair approximation of a device she’d designed years ago. She took another breath, turned to the array of tools at her disposal, and got to work.

***************************************************************************************************

When Kara didn’t return with donuts after an hour, Alex asked Winn to search for her. She was surprised when he said the most likely answer was that Kara was at home or the DEO. Alex walked down a DEO hallway, tension building as she approached the doors leading to where she suspected Kara to be. She stopped outside the doors in the gray corridor and pulled her phone from her pocket. She texted, ‘Let me in?’ and then stood still, phone held gently in her hands before the door whooshed open, Kara’s form retreating back into the room. Alex pocketed her phone and entered, the door closing behind her.

Kara sat on the platform steps, the blue glow in the room amplifying her sadness, the space behind her where Alura’s AI image usually stood, empty. Alex walked in and gingerly sat by Kara’s side.

They sat together quietly for a long moment. “Why didn’t you tell me you were going to bring her here?” Kara asked, her voice vulnerable.

“I didn’t want you to get your hopes up that she’d say yes,” Alex answered honestly.

Kara pursed her lips and nodded. 

“Are you OK?”

Kara smiled and blew out some air. “No?” She met Alex’s eye. Kara shook her head and looked away. “We just had a huge fight.”

“Who? You and Lena?” Alex asked, a stitch in her brow.

Kara nodded. “We ran into each other outside of the bathrooms and… I thought it was going to be me telling her how much she hurt me, and instead…” Kara breathed out slowly as she replayed the conversation. “Alex, I was angry with her.” Alex looked at her sympathetically and Kara clenched her fists. “I was so, so angry.” Her voice held a touch of wonder, as if she was just discovering that she’d felt that way toward Lena. And then, as suddenly as she was bewildered by her emotions, her anger flowed away and Kara’s face screwed up in sadness. “I never should have lied to her about who I was.”

“You didn’t,” Alex said. Kara looked at her, confused, and Alex tucked some of Kara’s hair behind her ear. “The you that was with Lena, Kara, is you. The Super stuff is–”

“Important,” Kara said before Alex could diminish it. “She deserved to know that the reason I couldn’t, be, with her, the way I wanted was because I was afraid of hurting her. Everything else…” She puffed out some air. “She looks at me now and sees an alien.”

“No.”

“I know what I see, Alex,” Kara said, cocking her head to the side.

“And I know what I see,” Alex said as Kara looked away. “Lena—who knows why Lena does half the things she does—but she cares about you.” Alex weighed her next words. “When I showed up in her office in Star City today, she thought I was there because something had happened to you, and Kara, the color ran right out of her face.”

Kara met Alex’s eye. 

“I’m sorry I made this hard for you,” Alex said. Kara just looked to her hands. “Maybe you should stay away from her while she’s here.”

Kara wiped at her eyes. She took in a deep breath, licked her lips and then looked to Alex with a sad smile. “We both know that’s not going to happen.” Kara paused. “I’ve tried so hard the last two months to distance myself from my feelings for her, and then I see her and they all just come back, and I don’t know what to do with them all.”

Alex’s face scrunched up with sympathy and she reached forward and slipped her hand through Kara’s hair along her neck. “What am I gonna do with you?” Kara’s lip trembled and she reached up and took Alex’s free hand in her own. She gently squeezed it and dipped her head, nodding, trying not to cry, and Alex exhaled and moved forward, wrapping her arm around Kara’s shoulders. “It’s going to get better,” Alex said softly, pressing a gentle kiss into Kara’s hairline. She felt Kara sink into her, and they stayed that way for a while, before Kara composed herself and pulled back. Alex watched her closely. “Are you going to be OK?”

“Yeah,” Kara said. Her lips twisted. “I broke one of those touchscreen conference phone things in the room we were fighting in.”

“I’ll dock it from your pay,” Alex said with a small smile.

Kara was quiet for a long moment. “I’m gonna go.”

“OK,” Alex said. “If you need to stay away–“

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head. She stood up, Alex doing the same. “But maybe I’ll get donuts from a place in Central City.”

Alex smiled gently, worried, then nodded. “Sounds good.”

Kara nodded, and the two exited the room, heading in different directions.

***************************************************************************************************

Horace Rikker wasn’t one for crowds. Since his “accident”, he actually preferred the shadows. Fewer stares, fewer questions about the wide scar that marred his face. But he knew better than to defy Lex when he asked for something. Rikker walked down the streets of Star City, a hat pulled low on his head, his jacket collar popped up. He saw the man in the expensive suit exit L-Corp and start to walk, phone in hand, voice loud as he spoke to someone on the other end of the line with little regard for who it bothered on the city streets. Rikker took aim at the man approaching him, and when they were just about even, Rikker stepped slightly into the man’s path and shoulder checked him hard.

The man bounced off of Rikker and spun, his phone flying from his grasp and skipping across the sidewalk. The man righted himself, his face going from shock to anger to shock once again as his wide eyes took in the scars on Rikker’s face and the dark look in his eyes. “Sorry,” Rikker offered gruffly and the man stood like a statue, shocked, his hand still curled as if holding his phone, disinterested people spilling around them on the city sidewalk. Rikker smiled, twisted, and walked away.

He assumed the man behind him was now on his hands and knees looking for his phone, his heart beating in his throat, dread flushing his veins in anticipation of his first call—provided the phone would still work—to Lillian Luthor. Rikker allowed himself another small smile before dipping back into the shadows as he headed down a dark side street toward his temporary warehouse home. 

***************************************************************************************************

The knock on the doorjamb was soft and tentative. Lena looked up and did a double take as she saw who was standing just inside the door. She exhaled heavily, shaking her head. “I don’t want to fight again.”

“I didn’t come to fight,” Kara said, taking a few tentative steps into the lab, the door closing behind her. “I came to see the device.”

Lena paused, assessing the situation and then nodded. “Of course, it’s right over there,” she said, pointing to the center table. 

Kara’s gaze turned from Lena to the device. A few small pieces had been removed and were sitting on a white cloth next to a handful of small precision tools. Lena stood next to a laptop, a notes application open on the screen. Kara walked to the device and stared. “Alex told me that Lex stole your design.”

“It looks that way,” Lena said ruefully, looking at a large monitor nearby.

“Is this the one you were working on with Jack?” Kara asked, over articulating the man’s name.

Lena was caught off guard, and struggled to contain her surprised smile. Kara was never able to conceal her jealously when it came to Jack. “Uh, no, this was a side project I was working on by myself before I took over L-Corp.” Lena abandoned her work and walked to Kara’s side, careful to keep space between them.

“The cancer-preventing one?” Kara asked, looking to Lena.

“Yeah,” Lena said, amazed that Kara remembered the project. Lena was sure she had only ever mentioned it once in passing; they had never discussed it in any depth.

Kara studied the device. “How is this design different than yours?”

“Internally I’m not sure, but externally it’s slightly smaller. Lex changed the form a little, this part here and here.” Lena pointed to the device. “I think mine looked better, but Lex never cared much for aesthetic.”

“How did your design work?”

Lena lightly shook her head. “That’s the thing, it didn’t. Or at least, it never did when I was working on it. Theoretically it was an personal electrostatic radiation force field that would be used to protect those working dangerous jobs from gamma radiation, but I could never get it to perform to spec.” Lena looked at the device. “I had honestly given up on it, but there must be something about it if it caught Lex’s eye.”

“Could it be used as a weapon?”

“I can’t see how—it creates an energy field that blocks particles. It couldn’t stop something solid like a bullet.“

“What about heat vision,” Kara offered.

Lena took in a breath. “Well, never having studied heat vision, I couldn’t say for certain, but the force field as I designed it has a very narrow practical application. I thought it would be something used in human space exploration or to clean up nuclear sites.”

“Or to get close enought to be able to steal nuclear material?”

“Possibly,” Lena admitted. “But when I say I could never get it to perform to spec, I was being generous. The time and money it would take to make a workable prototype…” She sighed. “Lex is brilliant, but I don’t know that he could do something so ambitious given the time constraints and his resources in Belle Reve.” 

“It sounds like something we had on Krypton.” Kara said. “Granted, I was young when I left, so I don’t know the specifics of how it worked, but there was a machine that could create an energy field around a person, sort of like a second skin, so they could work in space near our sun.”

Lena looked at Kara happily amazed. “That’s, exactly how my ideal device would work. That’s, that’s amazing, to know it can work.” She smiled, proud. “Even if it’s not me who figured it out, it’s nice to know it’s possible.” 

“That you could theorize it, much less almost make it work with a start up, that is amazing,” Kara said. “Everything on our planet, our inventions, our innovations and discoveries, were the result of the Kryptonian Science Council’s work, and to be on that council meant you were one of Krypton’s most brilliant minds. The device I described took generations of study to create.”

Lena flushed, pleased. “Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.”

They both looked back to the device and Lena bit her lip, thinking. “So what does Lex want with a force field?” Lena looked to Kara and then smiled, Kara smiling guardedly in return. “Uh,” Lena looked away, flustered, and started to arrange the tools in front of her. “Shouldn’t you get back to work? Snapper’s going to wonder where you’ve been all day.”

“I don’t work at CatCo anymore.”

“What?” Lena said, truly taken aback as her hands stilled.

Kara shrugged. “It lost its appeal.” 

Lena was momentarily speechless. “So you quit your job… to what?”

“Help people.”

“You helped people as a reporter,” Lena said, abandoning the tools in front of her.

“Right,” Kara replied with a laugh as she stepped away from the table. “I’m sure numerous people were saved by my Portman-Jones Gala column.”

“The one where you happened to notice John Portman speaking to venture capitalist Roger Morgan?”

Kara gaped at Lena for remembering such a minor detail from months before. “Snapper pulled that part,” she reminded.

“Because he was more concerned about running a puff piece than reporting on a controversial business deal that benefited Cat Grant financially.”

Kara sputtered. “Pieces that don’t run anywhere don’t help people.”

“No, but your stories will once Snapper realizes he’s wasting your talent.”

“My ‘talent’?” Kara said, eyebrows arching. “Turns out, when you’re a junior reporter and you lose access to the multibillionaire younger sister of Lex Luthor, your assignments dry up.”

“But Supergirl–“

“You mean my ethically dubious practice of quoting myself in Kara Danvers’s articles?” Kara asked. “That stopped being fun a while ago.”

Lena looked to her hands and then back up. “Look, I know the last couple of months have been frustrating, but it won’t always be boring galas and dog shows.”

Kara stared at Lena. “How did you know I covered National City’s Dog Show?”

Lena’s eyes went wide before she sputtered. “I didn’t stop reading CatCo just because I left National City.”

“You didn’t start reading CatCo until you moved to National City.”

“Well what does Alex think?” Lena asked, changing the subject. 

“Why would it matter what my sister thinks? It’s my life.” 

“Kara–“

“No,” Kara said, affronted. “Why does everyone think that they get to tell me how to live my life?” She pulled herself to her full height, her eyes once again flashing with anger. “Just because I’m done pretending to be this, pathetic human everyone wants me to be.” She huffed in frustration. “This was a mistake,” she muttered, turning to leave.

“No, wait, Kara, stop— Don’t leave like this,” Lena said, striding forward, and Kara stopped and turned, her eyes still angry. Lena exhaled. “I’m sorry. You’re right, it’s not my place to comment on your life like that.”

Kara shifted, working her jaw. The apology was unexpected. “Thank you.”

Lena nodded once, before she pressed her lips together, her face a little sad. “I don’t want to fight with you.”

Kara looked to her feet. “I don’t want to fight with you either.”

Lena watched as Kara looked up and then away, unable to maintain eye contact. Lena’s brow quirked. “I need to say I’m sorry for something I said earlier today.” Kara reluctantly met Lena’s eye. “Of course, we were best friends. You were my only friend in National City for the longest time and I appreciate what you did for me. I’m sorry I said otherwise.”

Kara was silent. 

“Truth was, my feelings were hurt and I wanted to hurt yours,” Lena said with an apolgetic shrug of her shoulders. “I shouldn’t have said what I said.”

“Thank you,” Kara said quietly.

Lena nodded. 

Kara hesitated, then spoke. “Earlier, when I said I could never have a normal life… I don’t want you think that that’s something I even want. I lost my powers for a few days a couple of years ago, and I hated it. I love being Supergirl. I love eating anything I want, and flying, and I love helping people.”

“You’ve been helping a lot of people lately,” Lena said. “In Central City, Opal City–“

“I’m not National City’s mascot,” Kara said sharply. “If people outside of these city limits need help, who am I to say no?” Lena nodded, contrite, and Kara exhaled at the look on Lena’s face. “I’m sorry.”

“No, I.” Lena stopped. She smiled, weakly. “It might take a little while to get used to talking to each other, now.” They shared a long look before Lena looked away, suddenly self-conscious. “Thank you, for stopping by,” she said before looking back up. “You’re the first person who has who doesn’t think I’m going to use the device as a Trojan Horse to blow up the DEO.”

“Who thinks that?” Kara asked, her brow furrowing.

“Everyone,” Lena said with a self-deprecating laugh. “Trust me, when you’re a Luthor you see clearly what everyone thinks about you. It’s written all over their faces every time they look at me.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. She paused, unsure whether she should even ask before speaking. “Where are you staying while you’re in National City?”

“Chez DEO,” Lena said, holding her hands out with a smile, before she brought her hands together in front of her. “Alex told me the facility has suites for visiting guests, and as I’m only going to be here for a day or two…” she trailed off. “If it has a functional bathroom I’ll be happy.”

“The showers even have hot water,” Kara said with a slight smile.

“Who could ask for anything more?” Lena said, her own smile fading as they stared at each other. Lena’s brow quirked and she looked down. “I should get back to work,” she said, pointing to the device behind her, smiling slightly as she met Kara’s eye.

“Good luck,” Kara said. “Though, something tells me you won’t need it.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. Kara nodded and exited, Lena watching the whole time until she was gone. Lena took a steadying breath and returned to her work. 

***************************************************************************************************

Rikker wasn’t one for formalities, but he knew enough about Lillian Luthor to know she would take him more seriously if he presented himself to her as the brilliant inventor he was once upon a time at LuthorCorp. He combed his hair and straightened his tie, even made sure his boots had a respectable shine. He sat at the long table he had set up in the center of the room and waited, checking his watch. He exhaled, and made himself as comfortable as he could be in a three-piece suit. It was only a matter of time before the next phase of the plan clicked into place. He was eager to begin.

***************************************************************************************************

“Hey,” Alex said, entering Lena’s lab. She took in the tight set of Lena’s jaw and her brow knit. “What’s wrong?”

“Why didn’t you tell me she’d quit her job at CatCo?” Lena demanded, looking up and meeting Alex’s eye.

Alex’s lips pulled into a thin line. “Because it’s none of your business.” 

Lena scoffed and turned back to her work. 

“What would you have done, exactly?” Alex argued. “Come back to National City after months of silence, tell her she was wrong to quit?” Alex watched as Lena flexed her jaw. “I tried talking sense to her, we all have, she doesn’t want to listen.”

Lena looked away and shook her head, composing herself. “I left so she could live a normal life,” she said in a low voice before stopping and correcting herself. “Not normal, maybe, but to be able to live as both Kara Danvers and Supergirl.”

“Well maybe ‘normal life’ isn’t as fun without a billionaire girlfriend,” Alex snapped. 

Lena cocked her head and met Alex’s eye. “Don’t you dare blame me for this.”

“Who else would I blame?” Alex asked, squaring her shoulders.

Lena fumed and turned away. “Why are you here, Agent Danvers? It’s only been four hours; I’ve barely begun taking this thing apart.”

“I’m not here to check up on you.”

Lena put down her tools and turned. She stared at Alex and waited.

Alex stared back, and took a deep breath. “The DEO has reviewed your finances—yours and L-Corp’s.”

“Legally, I’m sure,” Lena replied.

“We found some irregularities.”

Lena frowned. “What kind of irregularities?”

“LLCs.”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” Lena said.

“LLCs buying property in unusual ways.”

“I see,” Lena said, a smile curling her lips. “Agent Danvers, when you are a billionaire owner of a mega corporation, you have a financial team that aggressively protects your portfolio. That often leads to them exploiting tax loopholes that the average person knows nothing about.”

“You’re not average.”

“Far from it,” Lena said, her smile growing before it faded, her lips taking a tight line. “But I also don’t intimately handle my money. So if you’re saying there are suspicious LLCs possibly cleaning my money, than I’d like you to meet with my people so they can trigger a full-scale audit of all domestic and off-shore holdings owned by either L-Corp or myself.” She relaxed her shoulders. “I’m a lot of things, but I don’t launder money.”

“Sounds good,” Alex said.

“You’ll want to speak to Sam Arias first; she’s L-Corp’s CFO and she’ll help you with whatever you need.”

“I’ll have Agent Benitez speak to her as soon as possible.”

“Or you could speak to her yourself,” Lena said. “She’s here in National City.”

“She is?” Alex asked. “Why?”

“Because I’m not a monster who uproots her entire company just because she wants to move to another city on a whim.” Lena gave Alex a smile and side eye. “Sam has a daughter; it didn’t feel fair to make her move to Star City on a moment’s notice.”

“I thought you said you’d been thinking about the move for a while?” Alex said, arching an eyebrow.

Lena smirked. “There’s no need for finance to be in Star City with Sam at the helm. I trust her here. If I had my phone I’d send you her contact information right now.” 

Alex rolled her eyes. 

“Give me a line out and I’ll call her and let her know to expect a call from you,” Lena said.

“OK,” Alex said with a slight nod of her head. 

Lena smiled. “I’m a fair person, Agent Danvers. I’d say give me a chance to prove it to you but I think we both know you won’t, so why bother.”

“Lena–“ Alex started, frustrated, before cutting herself off. She took a deep breath and then smiled. “Call the operator in 15 minutes; I’ll make sure they have an outside line available.” She turned and exited, Lena returning to her work as if Alex had never been there. 

***************************************************************************************************

Kara sat on the edge of the building’s roof, her feet hanging off of the edge, her phone in hand. The screen gently illuminated her features in a soft white glow, and she only took her eyes from the screen when she heard the door open behind her. She smiled as Winn walked onto the roof, his arms crossed across his chest. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said, bracing against the chill in the air. “Whatcha doing?”

“Reading,” she said, slightly waving her phone. He arched his brows, silently asking for more. “Fan fiction,” she continued. He arched his brows again. “Not, Supergirl fan fiction.” She sighed and put her phone in her lap and spun around to face him effortlessly, floating in the air. She crossed her legs and slowly sank back to sit on the edge of the building. “I didn’t like how the last episode ended–“

“Ah, no spoilers, haven’t seen it,” he said quickly, fingers plugging his ears.

She smiled and watched as he warily dropped his hands to his side. “Too busy to watch your favorite show same day? I never thought that would happen.”

“Yeah, well, ‘LexTech before everything’ is the DEOs new motto, apparently.”

“How’s it going in there?” Kara asked. Winn frowned and rolled his eyes, and Kara couldn’t help but smile. 

“I don’t know who is driving me more insane, your sister or your girl–“ He immediately stopped and winced. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean–“

“It’s okay,” Kara said, holding up a hand, a slight, embarrassed smile on her lips. “For what it’s worth, I’ve only recently stopped doing the same thing in my head.” Winn nodded sympathetically at the blush on Kara’s cheeks. “I’m sorry it’s not going well.”

“It’s fine,” Winn said, though clearly it wasn’t. “They’re just stressed and taking it out on me because that’s my life now.” He exhaled heavily and took a good look at Kara. “I’m surprised you watched same day,” he said. “Cause, Supergirl was in Central City last night…”

“Oh, yeah,” Kara said, her brow briefly quirking. “Well, when I got home I was a little hyper so I got caught up.”

Winn toed the ground. “You were in Central City a lot last week.”

Kara gently nodded. “There’s a gang expanding territory. The police needed help.”

Winn slightly shrugged. “We don’t really have any back up there.”

“I didn’t need any back up,” she said, smiling. 

“Right,” Winn said. He was quiet for a long moment. “Have you talked to your cousin about this?”

“About…” 

“What you’re doing, flying off to Opal City, Central City, all the time?” Winn asked.

Kara narrowed her eyes. “Why would I need to talk to him.”

“Because, he’s probably felt the temptation to save the whole world, too,” Winn said.

“That’s not what I’m doing,” Kara said, clearly caught off guard by the observation. “It’s not,” she added more emphatically.

“OK,” he said, holding up his hands, surrender style. He rotated his wrist and groaned as he looked to his smartwatch. “I’m being summoned.”

“Sorry,” Kara said. He shrugged his shoulders and dropped his hands to his side. “Just, give Lena a big server and stay out of her way when she’s tinkering.”

“I can do that, although it hurts my soul to give up more server space,” Winn said. Kara smiled. “Any advice for dealing with a cranky Alex?” he asked.

“Hide?” 

Winn smiled. “Thanks.”

“Any time,” Kara replied. She watched as Winn waved and exited. She looked back to her phone before raising her head and looking east. She frowned slightly, tucked the phone into her boot, and flew off in the direction of the cry for help. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena rubbed her neck. It was late and her heels had long been abandoned by the desk now littered with take out boxes and empty paper coffee cups in the corner of the room. Lena closed her eyes. She was tired. She looked up when she heard a tentative knock. “Hey,” Lena said, surprised to see Kara standing just inside the doorway.

“Hey,” Kara replied warily. Her fingers played with the edge of her cape as she looked around the room. “I’m looking for Alex.”

“She left about an hour ago,” Lena said. “Or, so the other agent told me when I spoke with him a half an hour ago.”

Kara nodded her thanks and started to walk away.

“Kara,” Lena called, and Kara stopped. She turned and looked to Lena expectantly. 

“Could I borrow a hand?” Lena asked sheepishly. “I sent the assistant they gave me home for the night and now I’m stuck.”

Kara nodded and moved to Lena’s side.

Lena looked to Kara and then to the device in front of them. “If you could just, hold,” she pointed to what she needed help with and then watched as Kara held together the two pieces she needed. “Thank you.”

Kara nodded. Lena picked up her tools and began to work. After a long moment, Kara spoke. “How did Alex get you to come back?”

Lena looked up to see Kara looking at her and Kara looked away.

“She asked,” Lena answered, working. 

“That’s all?” Kara asked, her gaze firmly fixed on her hands. 

“She asked in her most Alex voice,” Lena amended. 

Kara slightly nodded but didn’t respond. 

After several minutes, Lena stood back, eyeing the tech critically. “Let go?”

Kara did as asked and the partially disassembled tech stood stable on three skeletal legs. 

“Did that do what you hoped?” Kara asked.

“We’ll see,” Lena said as she looked from the device to Kara. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Kara said. There was a brief pause. “I’ll tell Alex to make sure that there’s always a tech on call for you.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. “There probably is but I didn’t want to ask for any more help today.” She paused, amending her statement. “Though, I just did from you, so…” She exhaled with a slight chuckle. 

Kara smiled weakly. “Do you need any other help?”

“No,” Lena said, her lips pursing before she awkwardly smiled. “That should do.”

“Ok,” Kara said. “Good night.” She started to leave and Lena stepped forward.

“Kara,” Lena said and Kara turned, politely. “Can we talk?” Lena asked, twisting her fingers before her.

Kara frowned. “It’s late, I should probably go–“

“Please, just a few minutes,” Lena said, taking another halting step forward. When Kara stayed still, waiting, Lena spoke. “Superman has been a pretty big part of my life, since I was young. Even before everything with Lex… Sometimes it feels like I don’t remember what life was like before he started to protect Metropolis.” Lena paused briefly. “I shouldn’t have equated my experience with him to you, or imply that my knowledge of him extends to you. You’re not the same, and I’m sorry if I made it seem like I thought you were.”

Kara nodded, the words affecting her.

“Of course I’m curious about your experience,” Lena said, her voice soft. “How could I not be?” Kara just stared and Lena licked her lips before adding, “I have spent a lot of time over the last two months thinking about it.”

“Oh,” Kara said, her brow quirking, the words unexpected.

Lena swallowed hard. “It’s important to me that you know that.” Kara nodded in reply, but didn’t speak. After a long moment of awkward silence, Lena exhaled and clasped her hands before her. “I think we can agree that we both made mistakes,” Lena said, Kara meeting her eye. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry I hurt you.”

“Me too,” Kara said after a long moment. They stood still, opposite each other, the room’s only sound a steady hum from the various machines running in the background. “I need to go.”

“Ok,” Lena said, nodding. 

“Maybe call it a night soon, yourself?” Kara said. “I know it might not seem like it because there are no windows in here, but it is late.”

Lena nodded. “Thank you. I will, once this last process runs.”

“Goodnight.”

Lena smiled slightly. “Goodnight.”

Kara turned and left, her cape making a slight fluttering sound behind her, and Lena blinked several times to push back the emotion that threatened to tip her balance.

***************************************************************************************************

“OK, spill,” Maggie said, nudging Alex with her foot.

“What?” Alex said, putting her hand on Maggie’s feet in her lap, the glow from the TV the only light in their apartment.

Maggie smiled. “Since when do you not talk back to the TV when we watch this?”

“I’m sorry,” Alex said, shaking her head. 

Maggie picked up the remote and paused the television. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“About how infuriating Lena Luthor is? No, I feel like I’ve done that enough.” Maggie sighed and narrowed her eyes at Alex, and Alex rolled her eyes in reply. “I don’t get how they were ever together,” Alex said and Maggie chuckled. “No,” Alex said, her tone serious. “Lena was at the DEO for less than an hour today and they had a huge fight, Kara was crying–“

“Is she OK?” Maggie asked.

“Yeah,” Alex said, before looking to the ceiling and then back to Maggie. “I told Kara maybe she should stay away from Lena and she’s–“

“Not going to do that.”

“No,” Alex said, sighing heavily. “They’re just, both insanely headstrong, and Lena is so…” she grunted in frustration and Maggie smiled.

“They loved each other,” Maggie said. “That doesn’t always make sense.”

“It should,” Alex said, her hand squeezing Maggie’s foot affectionately.

Maggie sighed, a warm smile on her face. “We have our differences.”

Alex nodded; they did. Maggie liked her pizza with hot sauce, Alex didn’t. Alex liked her whiskey neat, while Maggie prefered tequila on the rocks. Alex wanted kids and Maggie didn’t. Alex squeezed Maggie’s foot again. “I can’t imagine either one of us being as cold as Lena was today though.”

Maggie sighed. “Do you remember our first double date with them? That dinner at Palamino’s?”

“Yeah,” Alex led. She hadn’t wanted to go. She had been caught off guard by Kara’s sudden romantic relationship with Lena, and the added dimension of the DEO’s growing interest in L-Corp gave the date a decidedly awkward feel.

“I remember going home after that date and worrying,” Maggie said.

“Why?” Alex asked, her brow furrowing.

“Because our relationship was kind of new, too, and I knew that I was in love with you, but…” She pursed her lips and shook her head. “I thought I was in trouble if what Lena and Kara had was what you expected from us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I love you, Alex,” Maggie said. “I think I do a good job of showing you that I do.”

“You do,” Alex assured.

“But Kara and Lena… fit.” Maggie smiled slightly. “On paper they’re so different, and yet it works…” She trailed off. “It seemed special.”

Alex was quiet.

“I know, I know they’ve broken up and things are probably really weird between them now–“

“Yeah,” Alex scoffed.

“But things can’t have changed that much,” Maggie said. She briefly paused. “Watch Lena’s face every time Kara’s around. Heart eyes,” Maggie said with another small smile.

“Lena broke Kara’s heart,” Alex said protectively.

“Then Lena Luthor is more powerful than I thought,” Maggie replied. She continued off of Alex’s look. “She’d have to be to break the Girl of Steel’s heart.”

Alex frowned, her hand once again absently squeezing Maggie’s foot.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex entered the bullpen, steel cup of coffee in hand. She caught J’onn’s eye and he indicated he wanted her to meet him at Winn’s computer terminal. “Hey,” Alex said warily, looking between J’onn and Winn as she stopped by Winn’s desk. “Everything ok?”

“Horace Rikker was seen in Star City last night, just outside of a warehouse owned by an LLC subsidiary of L-Corp,” J’onn said.

“What,” Alex snarled.

“Star City has newly installed CCTV cameras in that area after some people were arrested last year as part of drug smuggling ring,” Winn said. “The mayor hasn’t announced the program yet; it wasn’t supposed to be live but apparently the government was giving it a test run before they made it known to the public.”

Alex fumed. 

Winn looked to J’onn and then back to Alex. “He was near an L-Corp building,” he said, Alex’s head snapping over to glare at him. “We never saw him go inside, so there’s still no proof that he has any connection to Lena.”

“I’m going to L-Corp to talk to their CFO,” Alex said, the words coming out low and dangerous.

J’onn frowned. “Why? Ms. Luthor is right here.”

“I’d talk to Lena but I’m afraid I’d break something if I did,” Alex said.

“Yeah, please don’t break anything in that lab,” Winn said. “I want that stuff back when she’s done.”

“Are you sure about this?” J’onn said. “I can go, take Agent Powell with me.”

“No,” Alex said. “I’ve got this.”

“Alex,” J’onn warned.

She paused, still furious, and met his eye.

“Take the long way,” he said, silently instructing her to calm down.

She took a contrite breath, and with a quick look between them both, left. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena walked down the hallway, head down and hands full. She looked up and slowed as she saw Kara turn the corner in her Supergirl suit. “Hi,” Lena said cautiously, unsure whether her greeting would be accepted.

“Hi,” Kara replied, obviously surprised to see Lena up and dressed to the nines after such a late night.

“Uh, thank you,” Lena sputtered, “again, for your help last night.” 

“Of course,” Kara said. She frowned with concern as she looked to the items in Lena’s hands. “Is that your breakfast?” 

“Oh, yeah,” Lena said with an embarrassed smile as she looked down and then back up. 

“You’re eating from the vending machine?” Kara asked, genuinely worried.

“I’m running a process that’s time sensitive so I can’t go far and I didn’t want to trouble anyone for food.”

“Trouble someone for food,” Kara said, stepping forward. “Trust me, I’ve had the food from these machines, and as a bonafide ‘will eat just about anything’ person whose DNA won’t let them get food poisoning, I won’t eat this.” She indicated that she wanted to take the items in Lena’s hands, and Lena complied, handing them carefully to Kara. Their fingers brushed and Lena stepped back, flustered, a smile on her face.

“OK,” Lena said. She briefly rubbed the back of her neck. “I’ll track down Alex–“

“Don’t be silly, I’ll get you something,” Kara said. “Breakfast bowl from Méson?”

“I’d love that,” Lena said, with a startled smile. 

“Extra honey and dark roast coffee, no sugar?”

“Sounds perfect,” Lena said.

Kara nodded and left before Lena could say anything else. Lena walked, slightly dazed, to her lab, noticing how everyone stared but averted their eyes as they passed her in the hallway. Lena entered the lab and walked to the desk in the corner. Someone had cleaned over night, the take out boxes and empty coffee cups were gone. A coffee machine and a ceramic cup had been placed on the concrete counter near the desk. She checked on the computer on the desk, and then walked around the room doing the same for the laptop by the disassembled device and the large computer across the room. She typed in a few lines of code and watched as a new process started, watched as the lines on the screen started to move, the server humming to life. 

She turned her head at the knock on the door and she smiled slightly, straightening her skirt and brushing her hands down her sides. She started to cross the room when the door opened and a DEO agent entered, a sheepish smile on his lips. He held a plastic bag in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. “Supergirl said you needed this without delay.”

“Thank you,” Lena said, disappointment sinking in. “Right there’s fine,” she said, pointing to the desk in the corner. He placed the items on the desk, smiled and left. Lena swallowed hard, and looked to the bag, the plastic handles tied into a neat bow. She shook her head slightly, and retuned to her work.


	6. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Any special requests?”
> 
> Lena shook her head. “You know what I like.”
> 
> Kara cocked her head slightly to the side. “It hasn’t changed?”
> 
> “No,” Lena replied.

Alex sat across from Sam Arias in what used to be Lena’s office in National City’s L-Corp building. It was strange being there without Lena. The office hadn’t changed much, it was still overly white and bright, but the shelves were now covered with family pictures featuring a young girl and Ms. Arias, and Ms. Arias had several toys on her desk alongside a large monitor.

“Sorry about that,” Sam said with a smile, hanging up her phone. “Things are a little crazy with Lena out.” She smiled brightly and gave Alex her full attention. “What can I do for the FBI?”

Alex smiled in return and showed Sam a picture on a tablet. “Do you know who this man is?”

“No,” Sam said, recoiling slightly at the mugshot.

“How about this man?” Alex said, swiping to a new picture.

“Same man, just no scar?” Sam guessed, eyebrows arching.

“He used to work for LuthorCorp,” Alex said, resting the tablet in her lap.

“Which office?” Sam asked. “Like L-Corp, LuthorCorp was a massive company. I mean, I barely know everyone on my floor, which is a real problem since they all work for me.”

Alex smiled at the warm joke. “He worked in Science and Engineering in Metropolis. He was an inventor for the company before he was fired. He had his own lab working on personal submersibles.”

Sam shook her head. “I only worked for LuthorCorp for a year before Lena took over. I came over in a merger and never worked with any groups outside of finance until I became CFO; never with Science and Engineering. Has he done something wrong?”

“We’d like to speak to him about the recent attacks against L-Corp.”

“Do you think he’s behind them?” Sam asked, her brow knit. “Like, a disgruntled ex-employee thing?”

“We just want to talk to him,” Alex said pleasantly.

Sam nodded, knowing there was more to it. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help with him.”

“Did you ever work with Lillian Luthor?”

“Indirectly,” Sam said. “She was my boss’s boss’s boss’s boss when I started.” Sam smiled. “Lena kept me tucked away for the most part so I didn’t have to deal with LuthorCorp politics.”

“Politics,” Alex said.

“Everything inside the company was pretty awful during Lex’s trial; people loyal to Lex, people loyal to Lillian. People like me who didn’t want to be loyal to anyone, who just wanted a good job with good benefits.”

“What happened to the other people after Lena took over? The people who were loyal to Lex and Lillian?”

“Most of them left—either quit or were fired. Some still work here.”

“Still?” Alex asked, eyebrows rising in surprise.

Sam shrugged. “If Lena had fired everyone who was brought in by her brother or mother she’d have been left with a skeletal workforce. The best she could do was root out the obviously vocal Lex and Lillian fans and hope the rest would fall into line, happy to still have jobs.”

“Are they happy?”

“Mostly,” Sam said. “The work environment has certainly changed under Lena.”

“How so?”

“We have a better work culture. Better morale, better benefits, better life-work balance. Lena is a great boss—tough but fair. I don’t know why anyone would pine for the days when Lex and Lillian were in charge.” 

“Really?” Alex asked. “They must had some good qualities to inspire such loyalty.”

Sam smiled. “I don’t think good qualities were what inspired the loyalty. Other than their obvious criminal deeds, they were… capricious. Mercurial. You’d come into work at LuthorCorp every day worried that you or someone you knew was going to get fired, or that you’d have some group picketing outside, or that you’d be asked to do something illegal or cruel. Things with Lena at the helm are so much better, occasional attacks notwithstanding.”

“You like Lena,” Alex said.

“Of course,” Sam said. She rolled her eyes and continued, good-naturedly. “Being a woman in business is hard, Agent Danvers, and being a single mom,” she said, nodding to the pictures of her daughter on the bookshelf, “and a high-ranking corporate officer sometimes feels impossible. Lena’s helped me a lot. She’s made it possible for me to be in this position.”

“You feel like you owe her.”

“No,” Sam said. “But I do appreciate the kind of woman who pulls other women up when she rises to power.”

“Is power important to you?”

“Stability is important to me.”

“Would you consider Lena to be a friend?”

“Yes,” Sam said.

“Do you socialize outside of work?”

“Occasionally, but it’s difficult,” Sam said, her brow furrowing as she realized she was being questioned.

“Why?”

“My daughter, Lena’s work schedule. We try to make time for lunch or dinner but it doesn’t always work out as frequently as we’d like.”

“Do you know anyone else in Lena’s social circle, or are you work friends?”

“I’ve met your sister, if that’s what you’re asking,” Sam said, raising an eyebrow.

“It wasn’t.”

Sam frowned. “Do you think Lena’s done something wrong?”

“We’ve noticed some financial irregularities.”

“Me too,” Sam said, her brow still furrowed. “I talked to Lena about some of it a little more than a month ago.”

“Care to share what you discussed?”

“Sure,” Sam said. “Lena said that I can trust you.”

Alex swallowed hard at that. 

“We have a guy who works here, Chris Figueroa,” Sam said. “He has a brilliant financial mind, knows tax law better than the people who write it. We call him Mr. LLC because he uses every available legal loophole to protect L-Corp’s funds from taxes. To be honest, we should be paying millions, maybe billions more a year, but we don’t because Chris is that good.”

“I’m going to need to speak with him after we’re done,” Alex said.

“Of course.” 

“So, Mr. LLC?”

“I noticed that Lena had bought property in St. Roch, Louisiana—”

“We noticed, too.”

“For a research project she is funding through the university,” Sam finished, her tone indicating that she thought it was a generous gesture. “Technically, there’s nothing wrong with the purchase; it’s just a little complicated because of the LLCs involved, but I thought it could look like an attempt to launder money to those not as well versed in tax laws.” She said the words gently to show Alex she wasn’t insulting her. “I took my concerns to Lena and she asked me to quietly look through L-Corp’s LLCs and off-shore holdings.”

That surprised Alex. “And?”

Sam paused. “There’s something I noticed when I reviewed our recent LLCs,” Sam said. “L-Corp bought a warehouse in Star City shortly after Lena moved there to store items needed for a build that she’s been working on.”

Alex tensed. “The man whose picture I showed you earlier was recently spotted near an L-Corp warehouse in Star City on West Division.”

“OK,” Sam said, carefully. “The warehouse I’m talking about is on Dewey,” Sam said, again surprising Alex. “However, when I looked at the warehouse purchase paperwork I noticed there was a duplicate set of files in with it, featuring a slightly different purchase number and a few typos with the street address and the amount. No big deal, right, it looked like someone who was careless with a first draft and went back and filed an amended, corrected copy.” Alex nodded. “But when I went back to the city, I found that the incorrect amount on the copy with the typos correctly matched a totally different property registered to L-Corp that we didn’t have in our files. On West Division, several blocks away.”

Alex’s lips drew into a tight line.

“Someone at L-Corp bought a second property and tried to hide it in a legit purchase approved by Lena,” Sam said.

“Who?” Alex asked.

Sam shook her head. “I don’t know. Likely someone still loyal to Lillian or Lex.”

“Mr. LLC?”

“No,” Sam said, shaking her head. “Lillian almost ruined Chris’s career when she was on the board because he wouldn’t do some incredibly shady stuff to help Lex when he was first arrested. It took just about every charm Lena had to persuade Chris to stay on with the company when she took over.” Sam paused. “In the last week I’ve found several warehouse purchases like this. In Metropolis, Gotham, Central City, Opal City. They’re everywhere.”

“Did you tell Lena?”

Sam shook her head. “I wanted to have a full accounting before I brought it to her. I was hoping to meet with her this week, but…”

Alex nodded. “I’m going to need a list.”

“Of course,” Sam said.

“Were all of them approved by Lena?”

Sam nodded. “Or made to appear that they were.”

“Made to appear—as in forged?” Alex asked.

“Possibly,” Sam said.

“Why would you doubt that the approvals were valid, that Lena knew about the purchases?”

“Because Lena is the CEO of L-Corp, not a President in our Real Estate division. That her signature is on all of the documents is a red flag in and of itself.”

“She’s too high up to know the nitty gritty,” Alex said.

“Nothing at L-Corp would get done if the CEO was involved in minor real estate purchases.”

Alex shrugged. “But if she were involved–“

“Lena is a hands-on, detail-oriented businesswoman and there is no way she would sign off on a document with obvious typos,” Sam said. “If she’s buying a property for a half a million dollars the paperwork is going to say that to the cent.”

Alex paused for a long moment before she cocked her head. “You wouldn’t be lying because Lena is your friend, would you?” 

Sam smiled. “I’m a single mom with a 12-year-old daughter.” Her smiled faded. “I’m not going to prison for anyone. Not even Lena Luthor.” She waited and when Alex didn’t reply, she continued, shaking her head and looking away. “God, Lena was right.”

“About?” 

Sam met Alex’s eye. “It doesn’t matter how much good you do; people will always still think there’s no such thing as a good Luthor.” She briefly paused. “I’ll have my assistant take you down to talk to Chris. You’re welcome to review any of the documents related to the warehouse purchases I mentioned. Anything else and you’ll need to come back with a warrant.”

Alex smiled. “I thought Lena told you to trust me.”

“Lena dated your sister, not me,” Sam said with a protective smile. 

Alex nodded her head. She stood and held out her hand. “Thank you for your help, Ms. Arias.”

“Agent Danvers,” Sam said, standing and shaking Alex’s hand. Before she let go, Sam smiled. “Please tell Kara I said hello.” 

“I will,” Alex said. She smiled once more and left the office. 

***************************************************************************************************

Kara looked down on Coast City from her perch atop the tallest building. Her jaw was tight as she scanned the city, looking for something to do, someone to help. It was the third city she had visited that morning, and Coast City was just as quiet as the rest. Nothing more than minor squabbles in National City, and petty crime in Star City. Had the criminals in the country signed a truce overnight that she was unaware of?

She sighed out of frustration and took to the sky. She started to fly toward Central City, the ground below her blurring as she picked up speed. She needed something to do to keep her mind off of Lena being at the DEO, or that Lena had admitted to spending the past two months thinking about her. Kara’s brow quirked. Or was it only Supergirl Lena had thought about? Did she really still care about Kara, or was Lena just a genius curious about her alien-ex? Kara sighed. The last 24 hours had been too much. Winn thought she was being a martyr, Alex thought she was going to fall apart any second, J’onn– 

Kara squeezed her eyes shut. She wanted to be as far away as possible from all of the emotions that made her feel less a superhero and more like a miserable failure. Because right now she felt… she felt… She felt too much. She opened her eyes and took in a deep breath as Central City’s skyline came into view, her ears picking up on a fire at a development alongside the river. She would concentrate on helping people today. And maybe, just maybe, that would help her figure everything else out. 

***************************************************************************************************

“Whoa.”

Lena looked up at the source of the exclamation and then back to her computer. “Good morning, Agent Schott.”

“Winn,” he corrected absently, his eyes on the long center table. “Did you disassemble the whole thing overnight?”

“More or less,” Lena said, typing and then righting herself. On the center long table were all of the parts of the device laid out carefully on a white cloth. 

“And?” Winn asked. 

“It’s my device,” Lena said. “With some minor modifications.”

“What are the modifications?”

“I’m still working through that part,” Lena said, chagrined. “Miniaturization seems to be part of it.”

“Cool,” Winn said, clearly impressed. He stepped forward. “What’s next?”

“Put it back together, turn it on and see what happens,” Lena said with a raised eyebrow as she looked at the device.

“Do you need any help?”

Lena shot him a side-eye and a smile. “From you?”

“Yeah,” Winn said, not understanding if she thought his offer was a joke. “Do you, not, remember me helping you with the Black Body Field Generator at your gala…?”

“Of course I do,” Lena said. “And the tech I’ve seen here at the DEO– Your doing, I suppose?”

“Some of it,” he said smiling.

“Is impressive,” Lena continued. “But I think I work better alone.”

“But didn’t you used to work with a guy named Jack?” Winn asked. Lena frowned and looked at him. “I’m very good friends with Kara,” Winn said with a smile, “and I’ve heard so, so much about your working relationship with Jack Spheer.” Lena looked away, lightly blushing. “I’m just saying, if you need someone to bounce ideas off of, I’m here.”

Lena cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

Winn nodded and waited for a long moment, trying to decide if he’d continue. “Lena, do you know who I am?”

She looked at him amused. “You’re Winn Schott, DEO Tech Agent and occasional Pictionary cheater.”

He smiled slightly and then pressed his lips together. “Do you know who my dad is?” he asked, his tone turning serious.

“Should I?” Lena asked, her brow quirking, the same amused smile on her lips.

“He’s the terrorist, the Toyman.”

Lena’s smile instantly faded. “I had no idea.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not the thing I lead with when getting to know people socially, so…” He stopped. “I just wanted to let you know that I know what it’s like to have family that you’re ashamed of—on a, much, smaller scale than you, obviously.” He watched her pull into herself and he spoke quickly. “Kara helped me when my dad came back to National City last year. She was there for me through all of it. I couldn’t have gotten through it without her support.” Lena looked away. “And Lena, Kara’s gone through her own stuff with her family–”

“Winn,” Lena warned, looking up.

“I know, I know, it’s her stuff to share,” Winn said, his hands held up. He dropped his hands and sighed. “But I think if you let her, she could help you, too.”

Lena looked away, the conflicted look on her face showing Winn that she wasn’t sure that was true. 

Winn waited a moment to see if Lena would reply. When she didn’t, he tapped the table next to him a couple of times absently. “If you need any help, just ask.”

Lena nodded and watched as he left. Her brow quirked, once alone, wondering what family stuff he could be referring to with Kara. Did he mean with Alex, or the family she lost on Krypton? Lena frowned, and she went back to her work, hoping that by busying her hands with the machine she could distract her mind, as well. 

***************************************************************************************************

“How did it go at L-Corp?” J’onn asked.

“Sam Arias was very helpful,” Alex said, grudgingly. “She’s uncovered and shared information about financial irregularities at L-Corp that we didn’t know about.”

“Without a warrant?” J’onn asked.

Alex nodded. “Lena told her to.” J’onn’s brows raised in surpirse. “Someone is buying warehouses all over the country with L-Corp’s money and then hiding it in their paperwork so senior financial staff don’t find out about it.”

“Someone,” J’onn said, displeased with the vagueness. “Did she have any idea who?”

“Someone that isn’t Lena,” Alex said, arching an eyebrow. 

“She believes Ms. Luthor isn’t involved,” he stated, exhaling.

Alex nodded. “I felt like a monster today. Every time I talked about Lena it was like I had just told Sam her puppy was ugly.” J’onn frowned. “I’m pretty sure Sam thinks Lena bought the St. Roch property the way she did so that it would attract attention.”

J’onn’s brow furrowed. “From whom?”

“Sam, from the sounds of it,” Alex said. When J’onn didn’t reply she continued. “Maybe Lena wanted L-Corp to be audited to see if there was an employee loyal to Lex or Lillian laundering money.”

“Why is Ms. Luthor so focused on possible financial crimes?”

“I don’t know,” Alex said. “Maybe because it’s fresh in her mind; financial records are how Lena helped uncover what Cadmus was doing with the missing aliens earlier this year. She found out L-Corp was still paying for LuthorCorp property and told Supergirl.”

J’onn hummed in reply. “Perhaps.” When Alex didn’t speak, he looked to her with an arched brow. “Something else bothering you?”

Alex was momentarily at a loss for words. “People—normal people—like Sam Arias talk about a Lena Luthor that I’ve ever met.”

“People show different sides of themselves in different situations,” J’onn said, crossing his arms. 

“Sam Arias talks about the Lena that Kara talks about; this, generous, warm, funny person.” Alex briefly paused. “If good people like Sam and Kara can see that Lena, why can’t I?”

“Because you’re looking at Lena through her family’s lens,” J’onn said. “And rightly so given the evidence we’ve seen. Did you learn anything more about the connection to St. Roch?”

“Just that everyone at L-Corp thinks it’s a good-faith research project.”

J’onn nodded and switched gears. “I have a strike team in place in Star City at the warehouse on West Division. If Rikker or anyone else suspicious is spotted again, Agent Benitez will go in with Supergirl there as backup.” He took in the piqued look on Alex’s face. “I need you here.”

“You’ll be there though, right?” Alex asked. “To help Kara if she needs it?” 

“Of course.” They stood together in silence for a moment. “You’re doing good work, Alex. Kara, Ms. Arias—they don’t know what we know, see how hard we’re working to chase every lead, how our work is necessary, not to necessarily incriminate Ms. Luthor but to potentially exonerate her. Don’t let their friendships and faith in Ms. Luthor affect your work.”

“I won’t,” Alex promised. She saw Winn enter the room. “Excuse me,” she said to J’onn, who nodded his understanding. She crossed over to Winn just as he sat at his computer terminal. “Hey,” she said. “Anything new?”

“With Lena?” Winn asked and Alex nodded. “She took the whole thing apart and is putting it back together.”

“And?”

“She said it’s her design with some modifications. Maybe some miniaturization elements added in but she’s not sure. Pretty much all the same news as yesterday.” Alex nodded and looked to the side. “Are you all right?” he asked. “You’re kind of fidgety.”

“I’m just ready for something to happen.”

Winn nodded. He looked to his monitor and read a ticker. “Kara’s in Central City.”

Alex frowned. 

“I talked to her yesterday.” Alex met Winn’s eye, intrigued, and he continued. “I asked her if she’d ever talked to Superman about all of this, ‘every city hero’ gig she’s got going.”

“And?” Alex asked, cautiously curious.

“She said she didn’t need to, that she knew what she was doing.”

Alex chewed the inside of her lip.

“Do you think she knows what she’s doing?” Winn asked.

Alex looked back to him and shrugged. “Sam Arias, L-Corp’s CFO, just gave us a mountain of financial data that I need you to go through.”

Winn groaned. “Come on. Lena is playing with machines and I’m writing algorithms to spot white collar crime?”

“Only because you’re the best,” Alex said, cocking an eyebrow and he returned her look with a blank stare. She took a step away. “You should probably also call James and tell him Game Night is off for the foreseeable future.”

“Can do, but he’s in Metropolis so even if we were getting together tonight he would be a no show.”

“He’s in Metropolis?” Alex asked, stopping. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Winn said. Alex gave him a questioning look. “He said an old friend needed help. I didn’t pry.” Alex gave him another look. “I did pry but he didn’t tell me.”

“Ok,” Alex said, starting to back up again. “Well. When he gets back we’ll figure out when we get together again. Thanks Winn.”

“No problem.” He watched her walk toward her lab before he sighed and went looking on the server for L-Corp’s financial documents.

***************************************************************************************************

Horace Rikker had been silent and still, like an obedient dog, throughout the entire, strange meeting with Lillian Luthor. He had listened patiently as Lillian spoke, pacing in front of him and flanked by her minions. She was interesting to watch, pulled to her full height, a ghost of a smile on her lips. She thought she was in charge, thought she was helping a helpless Lex, not realizing how much bite Lex had, how much Lex was using her. Rikker shook his head. The Luthor family was a greedy, back-stabbing, vicious mess and he couldn’t wait to be rid of them.

He had one more day in Star City and then it was on to the next destination. He stood at the long work table, everything he needed in front of him to finalize the modifications to the device, the Warsuit still hanging on the hook behind him. He picked up a black jump drive and plugged it into his computer. He navigated with a few mouse clicks and then sat back, marveling at the lines of code that filled the screen. He sighed. It was so beautiful. Their plan would be so beautiful.

***************************************************************************************************

“I’m telling you, it was so bizarre to be there without Lena. The shelves full of personal pictures alone was enough to freak me out, and the office was so warm. And she was so nice, even when she was angry; it was the exact opposite of any other time I’ve been to L-Corp.”

Maggie took a bite of her food and chewed as Alex talked, so breathless and excited she still hadn’t taken a sip of wine from the glass in her hand. 

“Not that Lena has family pictures that she’d want to display,” Alex continued, “but she didn’t even have pictures of her and Kara on her desk when she worked there. Sam was totally different.”

“Hm,” Maggie said, taking a drink of her wine.

“She must have had twenty pictures of her with her daughter.” Alex shook her head, a smile on her lips. “I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be a CFO of a megacorp and still have time to do half of the fun things she’s apparently done with her daughter.”

“She probably has a nanny,” Maggie said.

“Oh, of course,” Alex said, slightly flustered. “But I mean, they looked so happy in the pictures. It was really refreshing.”

Maggie nodded and wiped her mouth with her napkin, her eyes averted. “Well was she hot?”

“What?” Alex asked, genuinely confused by the question.

“Was she hot?” Maggie repeated, picking up her wine glass and meeting Alex’s eye.

Alex paused. She waited for Maggie to smile, to kick her playfully under the table but Maggie’s face was blank. “Are you seriously asking me that?”

“It’s okay if you notice other women are attractive, Alex,” Maggie said, taking too calm of a sip of wine for her words to ring true.

“But, that’s not what is going on here,” Alex said. 

“OK,” Maggie said, putting down her wine glass.

“Why–“ Alex cut herself off and exhaled. She didn’t understand where this was coming from, why she suddenly felt like she was in trouble. “Why would you think that I was anything other than professional.”

“You don’t usually gush about your interview subjects. Or call them by their first name.”

“I wasn’t, gushing,” Alex said, defensively. “I was just impressed that this successful woman was also such a devoted mother.” Maggie made a sound and Alex’s brow furrowed. “What was that?”

Maggie took a deep breath. “If you’re changing your mind about not having kids–“

“I didn’t say that.”

“Because if you are, that’s a talk we need to have.”

Alex cocked her head, mouth open and then put her wine glass down. “Oh my god,” she muttered, rubbing her hands over her face. “It’s like everyone in my life has gone insane.” 

“Alex…”

“No,” Alex said, standing and putting the napkin that had been on her lap on the table next to her half eaten meal. “I’m sick of being the bad guy every single time I talk to someone. 

“Nobody said you were the bad guy,” Maggie said.

“I didn’t do anything wrong here,” Alex said, holding her hand out, palm down. “I talked to a woman who impressed me with how together she seemed and I wanted to share that with you. You– You’ve turned it into something completely different.”

“I’m sorry if I read this wrong–“

“You did,” Alex insisted.

“But the only thing you’ve talked about for the last week is Lena and Kara, and you’ve been so down on the world lately,” Maggie said. “And then today you meet this woman and you’re practically giddy–“

“Oh my god,” Alex said, turning away and then instantly turning back.

“I had a good day today,” Maggie said, pressing her lips together. “An interesting one, actually. Not that you asked.”

Alex worked her jaw and steamed. When she finally spoke, her voice was contrite. “I’m sorry.”

“I get it, Alex. I do,” Maggie said, her voice softening. “I understand why you’re so invested in Lena and Kara, why your work at the DEO has been so difficult lately.” She watched as Alex’s face softened. “And I don’t mean to sound jealous, I don’t.” She paused. “But I also want to make sure, when it feels like we’re growing apart, that I’m still what you want.”

“Of course you are,” Alex said, stepping forward, her brow furrowed. “Maggie…” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

Maggie nodded. “Maybe we should go out,” she said, standing up and putting her napkin on the table. “Go shoot some pool, have a couple of real drinks. Be around other people.”

“Are you sure?” Alex asked uneasily as she watched Maggie pick up her dish and wine.

“Yeah,” Maggie said with a soft nod. “I think we both could use a little fun.”

“OK,” Alex said, her brow still knit. She watched Maggie smile at her and then move to the kitchen sink, and Alex exhaled slowly, her heart heavy in her chest. 

***************************************************************************************************

Rikker uncocked his pistol and snarled. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said, shaking his head as he turned his back on the men who walked toward him from the far warehouse door.

“Mrs. Luthor wants to know why you haven’t made your move,” the lead man said and Rikker laughed, his head hung.

He looked back up and smiled, well aware that the action made the scar on his face look even more grotesque. “I’m not ready.”

The lead man smiled. “Mrs. Luthor doesn’t like delays.”

Rikker’s smile transformed into a grimace. “And I don’t like to be rushed.”

The lead man opened his mouth to speak and was interrupted by a terrible cacophony of sound and light. Rikker spun, his eyes shutting as the room filled with smoke, as his ears rang from an onslaught of explosions and men shouting commands. Those idiots, he thought as he ducked. Lillian’s men had been followed. 

Rikker fumbled forward and grasped his work table; he blindly reached around its surface until he found what he was looking for, a small square shaped device with a single button. He pressed the button and the Warsuit sprang to life behind him, splitting apart and hovering in the air. Rikker stood and stuffed his pockets with as many things as he could grab on the table in front of him. He looked up and grimaced as Supergirl flew into the room from a skylight, the sky pitch black behind her. Gunfire started to ring out around him and he pulled himself to his full height; the Warsuit flew forward and molded around him, locking into place. He flexed his mechanical hand and grabbed the device he had been crafting for weeks from the tabletop and tucked it into his elbow crease like a football.

“Rikker!” 

He stopped and looked up as Supergirl hovered in front of him. He smiled and pressed a button on his chest and Supergirl fell to the floor clutching her ears, a sonic blast ringing throughout the room. He pressed another button and the screaming piece of the suit fell to the floor and rolled under the table, continuing to screech, disabling Supergirl as Rikker moved alongside his work station. He didn’t check to see if Lillian’s men were safe, just barely noticed how they had congregated in a mass near him as they fired their guns at the DEO agents emerging from the smoke. Rikker pressed a button on the other end of the table and manholes opened all around the warehouse floor. Lillian’s men looked to him and he smirked. They each jumped into the closest hole and Rikker did the same, immediately pressing a button on the tunnel wall once inside, the manhole covers closing overhead. 

He paused, breathing hard, and jumped off of the small ledge he had been standing on, his mechanical suit taking the brunt of the force when he landed thirty feet below. He stood from his crouch and took off in a dead run through the tall tunnel, the Warsuit’s pistons enhancing his speed until he jumped, went horizontal, and flew through the remainder of the tunnel and out the exit into the night air. He flew low along the water, south along the coast until he came up overland an hour later and headed inland. 

***************************************************************************************************

Above ground in the warehouse it was chaos, J’onn flying into the building and grimacing as he took in the scene. He saw Kara struggling to stand on the ground and he flew to her side, DEO agents cautiously moving through the smoke, guns drawn, trying to clear the space. 

“The device,” she said, nodding to the table. He wasted no time flipping the table and crushing the small sonic device underfoot. The sound stopped immediately and Kara stood, slightly disoriented. “Lillian used that device on me before,” she said, her hands coming up to rub her ears.

“Where’s Rikker?” J’onn said.

“He’s trying to escape underground,” Kara said. She looked down and focused her x-ray vision before stumbling back, her face twisted into a confused frown. 

“Where’s the entrance?” J’onn asked.

“There,” Kara said, pointing to a manhole. “But there’s also an entrance there,” she said, pointing nearby. “And there,” she said, pointing again. J’onn’s lips pulled into a tight line as he scanned the room, picking up another several entrances. “The whole area underneath the warehouse is a maze of tunnels.”

“How many?” J’onn ground out.

“Dozens,” Kara said, amazed. 

“Which one is he in?”

“I can’t– I don’t know.” She looked at him wide-eyed. “They’re all lined in lead and I can’t– I can’t see.”

“Where do they end up?”

Kara shared a look with him and shot straight up out of the warehouse, tearing the tin roof with a distorted groan. She landed back down almost an instant later and grimaced. “All over the city.”

J’onn frowned. He turned and barked, “An agent in every tunnel. Now.” He turned to Kara. “I need you to work with Winn on a map; find the terminus of every tunnel that leaves this warehouse.”

Kara nodded and shot out of the building. J’onn fumed, hands on his hips. He prepared to enter a tunnel when a DEO agent stopped him. “Sir, we found this.” The agent handed J’onn a black USB drive. J’onn frowned. “Supergirl,” he said into the comm. “When you’re done helping with the tunnel map, come back to the warehouse. We have something that you’ll need to deliver to Agent Schott.”

***************************************************************************************************

It was just after dawn when Kara flew into the DEO’s bullpen, meeting Winn at the foot of the stairs. 

“Yes,” he said, taking the drive from Kara’s hand. He looked at her, holding the device next to his face. “If this is more financial documents I am going to scream, and it will be so loud and so shrill, they will hear it in space.”

Kara smiled. “It was plugged into a busted computer. If we’re lucky it’s Rikker’s plans. J’onn said to scan it and if it’s encrypted, break it.”

“My pleasure,” Winn said with a smile. “And if it has anything to do with Lena’s device?” 

“We’ll cross that bridge if we get to it.” Both Kara and Winn turned to see Alex approaching. She stopped by their side. “Are you OK?” Alex asked Kara.

“Yeah,” Kara said. “Are you?”

Alex ducked her head and tucked some hair behind her ear. She was hungover and grumpy. “I’m fine,” she said looking up.

“Are you sure?” Kara asked, a crease in her brow. “Because–“

“I’m fine, Kara,” Alex snapped. 

Kara swallowed back her hurt and Winn looked between them before quietly slinking off to his desk. “J’onn wants you to stick to National City today,” Alex said. “In case the drive produces anything actionable or they pick up Rikker.”

“OK,” Kara replied. She watched her sister closely. When Alex wouldn’t meet her eye, Kara exhaled. She felt the distance between them acutely and it made her irritable. She arched her eyebrows. “Can I go, or do I need to watch Winn work over his shoulder?”

“You can go,” Alex said. “Just don’t go too far,” she amended with a raised eyebrow before striding off. 

Kara watched her go, and then turned for the DEO’s communal kitchen. She made it down the second hallway before she stopped abruptly, Lena walking toward her from her guest suite. “Hey,” Kara said. “Oh.” Her brow knit as she got a better look at Lena. “You’re wearing DEO clothes,” she said surprised.

Lena pulled on the hem of her DEO-issue black polo shirt as she looked down self-consciously at the DEO-issue black cargo pants paired with her heels. “I only packed for a short stay and I spilled coffee on today’s outfit, so... ” Lena paused and looked up. “Alex has sent my clothes to be laundered. I can’t wait to see what the government does with $600 silk.”

“We can get you more of your own clothes, if you’d like.”

Lena smiled at the offer. “Thank you, but I’m not entirely sure if I’m comfortable with some random DEO agent rifling through my underwear drawer.”

“I could get the clothes,” Kara said. “I mean I’ve touched your underwear before, so that, wouldn’t be, weird…” she trailed off, blushing to her roots. 

Lena stammered, her cheeks dusting pink. “Yeah, I mean, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“I wouldn’t,” Kara said.

“It would be nice to have something a little more comfortable and, me,” Lena admitted, opening her hands before her, clearly indicating she hated what she was wearing. “I still have clothes at my apartment in National City, so you wouldn’t even have to fly far.”

“I can go right now.”

“Let me get you the keys,” Lena said, pointing her thumb over her shoulder toward her guest suite. “Or.” She paused. “I could call the building and have the doorman unlock the balcony door.”

Kara swallowed hard. That Lena had locked the balcony door was like a burr in her sock. “Whichever you like,” Kara said with a shrug. “Though, the balcony is probably less likely to raise questions from people who may notice Supergirl walking into your apartment building.”

“Right,” Lena said. “Doorman it is. I’ll just need to ask Winn for a line out and then we’re set.”

“They still haven’t given you your phone back?” Kara asked, brow knitting.

“Contact with the outside world is expressly forbidden, per your sister’s orders I suspect.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. “I’ll talk to her, see if she can lighten up a little.”

“I appreciate that,” Lena said, her smile indicating that she thought there was no way in hell Alex would lighten up.

“So, clothes,” Kara sputtered. “Any special requests?”

Lena shook her head. “You know what I like.”

Kara cocked her head slightly to the side. “It hasn’t changed?”

“No,” Lena replied. They stared for a moment before Kara smiled politely and turned to leave. “Kara.” Kara turned back, a questioning look on her face. Lena opened her mouth and then faltered; she looked to her hands and then back up, a smile on her lips. “Could you grab my Metropolis U hoodie?”

“The one with the missing string or the alumni one?”

“The missing string,” Lena said.

“Got it.” Kara turned and left, leaving Lena standing in the hallway rubbing her hands together at the palm. Lena exhaled, long and slow, and set off to find Winn.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena was halfway through a cool cup of coffee when she heard Kara clear her throat from the lab’s doorway. “Your clothes,” Kara said, holding out a suitcase and garment bag, and Lena replied with a genuine smile. 

“Thank you.” Lena met Kara halfway, taking the roller suitcase’s handle and tucking the garment bag over her arm. She noted that Kara had chosen a medium sized bag. Lena pulled the suitcase to the desk in the corner and laid the garment bag flat on a nearby table. “How many days do you think I’ll be here?” 

“I wanted you to have options,” Kara said, recognizing that Lena was teasing her as she took a few additional steps into the room.

Lena unzipped the garment bag and smiled at the clothes inside. “Perfect.”

Kara blushed at the praise. “Uh, your Metropolis U hoodie is in the suitcase.”

“Did you have to fly to your place to get it?” Lena asked, looking over her shoulder at Kara with a smile and arched brow.

“I, uh,” Kara gaped. “Yes.” 

“I really appreciate this,” Lena said.

Kara offered a hesitant smile. “It was no problem.” 

The moment felt loaded, so Lena ducked her head with a smile and tried to find neutral ground. “I didn’t see you much yesterday.” She hazarded a glance at Kara and found a stormy look in her eye.

“I was busy,” Kara answered, deliberately vague.

“Oh.”

Kara frowned slightly. She hadn’t meant to be rude, she just felt off-balance by their familiar banter after so long apart. Lena was making an effort, and she was… “How do you like your suite?” Kara asked.

“It’s comfortable.”

“But…”

Lena smiled brightly, pleased to be called out for holding back. “I miss my nightcap,” she confessed, rolling her eyes at herself. Kara’s lips curled up in a slightly flirty way, until she realized and quickly swallowed the smile, Lena’s own smile growing as Kara’s disappeared. “What was that?” Lena asked, her nose scrunching. 

“Nothing,” Kara said, shifting her weight. “I didn’t do anything.”

Lena’s eyebrows rose in friendly challenge and Kara shook her head—she wasn’t going to tell. “OK,” Lena said knowingly, before she turned her attention for a moment back to the computer in the center of the room.

Kara turned her face from Lena and slightly cringed. She’d smiled because she’d remembered how Lena’s nightcap tasted on her lips, and how much she enjoyed the taste of it when they kissed. Kara cleared her throat and turned back to face Lena, smiling politely when Lena looked to her.

“I guess I should head back to my room and change,” Lena said, a wary eye on her computer. 

Kara looked from Lena to the computer and back. “Or, there’s a supply closet,” Kara said, pointing to a door in the corner. Lena met her eye with surprise. “You look like you don’t want to leave,” Kara explained.

“I don’t…” Lena said, looking to her computer. She looked back to Kara and smiled gamely. “Supply closet it is.” 

Kara smiled. “I’ll leave you to it then.” She started to leave and Lena stepped forward, the action stopping Kara. 

“Stay for a moment?”

“Why?” Kara asked, caught off guard. “Do you need something else?”

“Well, no, not exactly,” Lena said. “But…” She sighed at her own hestancy. “I was thinking about how you accused me of not being curious about you the other day, and there are things I am interested in learning,” Lena said, her fingers laced in front of her. “If, you’re willing to share.” She hesitated again. “If it’s not too late.”

Kara looked to the door and then back to Lena. “Like?” Kara asked, guarded.

Lena tilted her head to the supply closet questioningly, and Kara nodded that she would stay. Lena disappeared inside with her garment bag, the door slightly ajar, and her voice filtered into the room as she began to change. “Are you related to Superman on your mother’s side or your father’s?”

“Father,” Kara said, her voice loud, her back to the closet door. She could hear Lena pull the polo shirt over her head and kick off her heels, the zipper lowering on the cargo pants next. Kara’s face flushed red. “My father and his were brothers.”

“And your father was a scientist?”

“One of the most respected on Krypton,” Kara said fiddling with a tool on the table. 

“What was his specialty?”

“Science didn’t work like that on Krypton,” Kara said. She could hear Lena pulling on her blouse, the sound of silk sliding over her skin. The sound brought back memories. Kara licked her lips and then cleared her throat. “People weren’t locked into disciplines like on Earth. If you were smart enough to be on the Council, you were a master of many things.” Kara knew Lena would understand; she and Lex treated science the same way.

“I see.”

“My father’s name was Zor-El,” Kara said, looking back down at the table before her. “Superman’s father, Jor-El, was his older brother.” She looked to the ceiling, the sound of Lena’s skirt zipper loud in her ears.

After a moment, Lena exited the closet, dressed in her own clothes. She smiled brightly. “Zor-El and Jor-El?” Lena asked, arching an eyebrow playfully. She deposited the garment bag and folded DEO clothes on the table and turned to Kara. “That’s cute.”

Kara smiled, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Yes, it is cute, Lena Luthor of the family Lionel, Lillian and Lex.”

“Lena Keiran Luthor,” Lena said with an arched brow and a smile.

“One K doesn’t save the situation,” Kara replied and Lena rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Kara laughed a little, her gaze dipping. “Our planets weren’t that different.”

“Somehow I think if a human had ever visited Krypton they wouldn’t have suddenly become the most powerful being on the planet, though.”

“Maybe not physically,” Kara admitted. “But I think there are a few humans who could have given Krypton’s smartest a run for their money.” Lena blushed. Kara nodded to the device. “How is it going?”

“Slowly,” Lena admitted. Her computer dinged and she turned and looked at the results on the screen. She sighed, frustrated. She drummed her fingertips on the counter a few times, then looked to Kara. “Is there any place here where I could go to get some fresh air?”

“Clean clothes and fresh air?” Kara teased. “Someone’s feeling demanding.”

“Is that a yes?” Lena asked, narrowing her eyes and tilting her head to the side.

“Yes,” Kara said. She looked at Lena’s clothes; she’d dressed in a silk blouse and pencil skirt. “You look nice.”

“Thank you,” Lena said, self-consciously smoothing her hands over her hips. “You chose well.” 

Kara pressed her lips together, not daring to comment. She’d always loved that outfit on Lena. “Is the roof OK?”

“Sure,” Lena said. “Lead the way.”

Kara nodded, and Lena followed her through a series of hallways to a nondescript elevator. The ride was short, the elevator technology fast, and when they exited the door to the roof, Lena squinted in the bright morning sun. Lena took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, the sun warm on her face. It was something Kara always found endearing about Lena, how she could practically be allergic to the sun, yet seek out fresh air whenever she needed to quiet her mind. Kara watched Lena’s profile, looking away when she opened her eyes. “It’s a beautiful view,” Lena said, looking out at the cityscape as they walked to the edge of the building’s roof. A metal railing sat waist height where they stopped. 

“It is,” Kara agreed, glancing at Lena before turning her gaze forward. “How does it compare to the view from L-Corp?” She nodded to the L-Corp building not far away.

Lena smiled slightly and leaned her body into the railing. “The same,” she said, looking to Kara. Lena shrugged. “Cityscapes blend together after a while. Glass, metal; sometimes it doesn’t matter which building or city you’re in if you’re up high enough.”

“It always amazed me that you could hate flying so much but not be fazed by heights.”

Lena smiled. “I hate flying because I don’t want to fall to my death.”

“You can still fall to your death from heights,” Kara pointed out.

“Yes, but in my experience if you do fall someone will swoop in out of nowhere midair and save you,” Lena said, nodding to Kara playfully before returning her gaze to the cityscape. “I like heights because they let you see things differently.”

“Better?”

“Sometimes,” Lena said. There was a long moment of quiet as they enjoyed the fresh air and warm sun. “So. do they have a secret door for you here, or do you walk in like everyone else?”

“They leave a sliding glass window open for me,” Kara said, bringing her hands up and gripping the metal railing.

Lena smiled. “Like a cat.”

“You did the same thing,” Kara said, arching her brows.

Lena squinted. “You know, the balcony in my office in National City wasn’t meant to be a Supergirl landing pad.”

Kara smiled softly. “It was where you could step out and think when you got frustrated.”

Lena’s head bobbed slightly in agreement. “Thank you for this.”

“Of course.” 

They enjoyed the view for a moment before Lena took a deep breath, and Kara felt the mood shift as she heard Lena’s heartbeat slightly increase. “Do you really need to think about everything you touch?”

“No,” Kara admitted, caught off guard that Lena had asked. She glanced at Lena and saw her practiced impassive look betrayed by the light blush on her cheeks. Kara looked away. “Most things are instinctual by now, unless my emotions are running high. I broke a few phones at CatCo when I was Cat Grant’s assistant,” she admitted with an embarrassed smile, and Lena chuckled lightly next to her. “I had to practice touch for a long time when I was young,” Kara quietly admitted. “Alex is the only person I seem to be able to touch no matter what I’m feeling. I don’t really worry anymore about hurting her when I’m scared or angry.”

“Because you trust her.”

“I trusted you, Lena,” Kara said softly. 

“Oh, I really don’t want to get into this again,” Lena said, a tight smile on her lips. Her brow knit as she looked straight ahead, her hands gripping the metal railing. 

Kara frowned, looking to her own hands on the railing. “You don’t believe me.”

Lena paused, thinking through her words. “I think Alex is the only person who you’ve ever completely trusted.”

Kara’s laugh was rueful and sharp. 

“You don’t agree,” Lena said as she looked to Kara.

“No, it’s just funny because… I don’t trust Alex anymore,” Kara said casually. “At least, not like I did before you.”

Lena swallowed hard, her stomach dropping. “I find that hard to believe,” Lena said, forcing her voice to stay even. Kara having Alex was what had tipped her decision to end things between them, because Alex was Kara’s rock and could see her through anything. If Kara didn’t trust her anymore… 

“Why?” Kara asked. She met Lena’s eye and Lena was surprised when Kara didn’t look away. Surprised to see so much hurt and anger in the small crinkle in her brow. “Alex always pushed me to be Kara Danvers. To be human.”

“I’m glad,” Lena said, not looking away when Kara frowned. “I wouldn’t have known you otherwise.”

Kara felt her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. She turned her attention to the horizon, felt Lena continue to watch her profile. “I think I was a good human. A good Kara Danvers. I did everything I was supposed to, I had CatCo, I had friends–”

“Kara–“

“Did you know that Alex was angry with me when I became Supergirl?” Kara met Lena’s eye. “I got the full judgmental Alex treatment. She actually told me that I couldn’t do it, that I needed to hide my powers, be someone else. But even that, her anger, was really just her being worried about me. She eventually got over it, and I felt like she was on my team, like we were a team. She brought me here to the DEO, she helped me more times than I can count. But anything to do with you…” Kara swallowed hard and looked away. “She tried to undermine my trust in you at every step when you were new to National City. Made me doubt our friendship, made me question myself when I confided in her that I had feelings for you–”

“She’s your sister,” Lena interjected. “I’m a Luthor—she was worried.”

“She told me to lie to you about who I really was, even though she knew I hated it,” Kara said. “She told me not to fight for you when you broke up with me, told me to let you go when you moved–” She exhaled abruptly. “I don’t think she even thinks we were really in love…” Kara said. “And we both know that we were.”

Lena didn’t know what to say, and even if she did, she wouldn’t be able to say it with how constricted her throat felt. They stood together quietly for a long moment before Kara cocked her head to the side. Lena’s brow quirked and her eyes widened slightly when Kara started to float beside her. Lena looked up at her as Kara hovered a few feet off the ground, her head titled as she listened to something far away. The wind gently flapped Kara’s cape, her hair fluttered slightly in the breeze. 

Lena took a slight step forward, intending to get Kara’s attention by grasping her hand, but Kara turned her head away and floated higher, some other unseen thing grabbing her concern, and Lena stopped herself abruptly, her hand held shoulder height. Lena’s hand curled to her chest as Kara turned to look back at her. Kara smiled sadly, and then turned and flew away. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena walked into her lab to find Alex standing next to the disassembled device. Lena slowed, put her head down and then sped up and walked directly to her computer. “Hello.”

“Where were you?” Alex asked, arms crossed as she watched Lena stop beside her computer and start to type.

“On the roof, with Kara,” Lena said. Lena saw Alex’s eyebrows arch out of the corner of her eye. “Relax, Alex, I needed some fresh air and she was nice enough to allow me.”

“Alex?” she said, her eyebrows arching to her hairline. “We’re back to first names now?”

Lena cocked her head and glared at Alex. 

“What are you wearing?” Alex asked, looking Lena up and down.

“Kara brought me clothes,” Lena said nonchalantly as she briefly nodded to the suitcase by her desk. She looked to her computer again.

“She–“ Alex cut herself off and balled her fists. “You have her running errands for you now?”

Lena turned to face Alex. “I have a jump drive at my apartment that I need,” she said, ignoring Alex’s remark. “It has the code I wrote for my device. I’d like to run my code through Lex’s device and see what happens.”

“You have the drive in your apartment?” Alex said, her voice heavy with doubt.

“Yes,” Lena answered coolly.

“Not at L-Corp.”

“It’s my intellectual property, why would it be at L-Corp?” 

“Why not ask Kara to get it for you?” Alex snipped.

“It’s in a biometric safe; I need to be there to open it.”

“Do you though?” Alex asked sarcastically. “Supergirl is strong.”

“And I’d prefer she not break my things,” Lena said, her frustration mounting. “Look, if you don’t want me to use my code, that’s fine, but if I don’t have it then the device is nothing more than a fancy metal box and the DEO is no better off than the day before I came here.”

Alex seethed. “I’ll take you. But Winn will run a full diagnostic on whatever you bring back before you’re allowed to use it.”

“Of course,” Lena said. “I’d expect nothing less from an organization that thinks I’m the devil incarnate.”

“So dramatic,” Alex muttered under her breath. 

“I’m ready to go whenever you are, Agent Danvers.”

Alex exhaled, frustrated. She nodded and the two left the lab.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex had never been to Lena’s apartment before. 

It was actually a joke in their circle of friends when Kara and Lena started dating that turned into a long running gag. Because Lena was always either at her office or Kara’s place. Alex and the others would speculate about whether Lena even actually had a home of her own. Lena never hosted game night or had a dinner party, never invited her girlfriend’s sister over for a drink. It was like her life, her home, her things, were to be kept separate from her life with Kara. Alex remembered asking Kara if they ever stayed at Lena’s and Kara had demurred. Why would they when her place was so cozy? Seeing Lena’s apartment deepened Alex’s confusion about why Lena had been so guarded about her life. Her large penthouse was gorgeous, expensively appointed, and Alex fought the urge to take it all in at once as she walked through the front door. 

Lena locked the door behind them and walked into the great room. She walked past Alex and stopped. “The safe is in my bedroom,” she said, pointing to a hallway off to the side. “You can wait here.” She frowned, frustrated, when Alex smiled. “Or you can follow me,” Lena continued wryly and Alex held out her hand for Lena to lead the way.

They walked down a long hallway past a few doors and entered the master bedroom. Lena turned on a light and made her way to her bedside table. She placed her fingers on the underside of the table and a previously nondescript panel of the wall slid aside, revealing an advanced electronic safe. Alex stopped at the foot of the bed and smiled. “I didn’t take you for someone who slept with a stuffed animal,” she said, looking at a floppy dog resting against a pillow on Lena’s bed.

“I’m not.”

“The stuffed animal on the bed says differently,” Alex teased, her voice gleeful at discovering something so human and embarrassing about Lena.

Lena looked to Alex and then away. “Kara gave it to me after the first attack.”

“Oh,” Alex said, her smile fading. 

“She didn’t want me to ever be alone, and I told her that I didn’t have time for a real dog, so…” Lena took in a quick breath. “It was in a drawer when I moved, so Kara must have liberated it when she got my clothes earlier today.” Lena placed her hand on the safe and it scanned; she pulled her hand away and the door popped open. She reached inside and pulled a small jump drive free. She paused, staring somberly at something inside the safe. She swallowed hard and closed the door. The wall panel slid back into place, expertly obscuring the safe’s existence. Lena walked to Alex and handed her the drive. 

“Thank you,” Alex said. “That’s a nice picture of you two,” she said, nodding to a framed picture of Lena and Kara smiling, heads together, on Lena’s bedside table. “I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

Lena looked at it, her eyes sad. “It was in the drawer, too.” She walked past Alex and exited her bedroom. Alex’s brow knit and she looked to the drive in her hands. She tapped it against her palm and then followed Lena out the door.

***************************************************************************************************

Rikker pressed a button on his chest and the Warsuit fell from his body, reforming into an empty suit before landing with a heavy metal thud against the thick shag carpet. He fumed. He searched his pockets and slapped a handful of jump drives onto the wood table’s surface, counting them as he did. Two missing. He slammed his fist on the table and the drives all jumped and then settled at odd angles. He’d left two behind in the chaos. He closed his eyes, took in a deep breath and opened them again. 

He rolled his shoulders and paced to a window. He pulled back the curtain slightly and looked out. No warehouses this time; two DEO traps in a row meant more were on the way, and if Lillian Luthor was captured there’d be no telling how much time he’d have before everything unravelled. Rikker had no illusions that she would protect him, or his and Lex’s plan. If given a deal, she would give him up in a second.

He let the safe house curtain fall back into place then returned to the table and the handful of drives. It was now a race to see if he could finish the device, load the code, and put Lex’s plan into action. He exhaled slowly and got to work.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena looked over her shoulder to see Alex slowly walking into the lab. It was early the next day, and the lab smelled like freshly brewed coffee. The reassembled device was on the center table, open and powered on. “Hey,” Lena said. “I was just about to run a test of the second stage with my code. Do you want to watch?”

“Sure,” Alex said. She moved to Lena’s side and watched as Lena input a few numbers into her computer. “What are you expecting to happen?”

“For it not to blow up,” Lena replied, deadpan. She smirked at Alex and then hit a key on her laptop. They watched intently as the screen changed. The device whirred quietly and then spun down, the process finished.

“Good?” Alex asked.

“Not optimal,” Lena said. “But it might be the best we get.” 

“How much longer?” Alex asked, her frame tense.

“I don’t know,” Lena answered. She looked to Alex’s frustrated face beside her. “Lex is brilliant. I don’t even know if I will be able to figure it out.”

Alex exhaled and walked away. 

“What have I done now?” Lena asked, her mood souring. Alex turned to face her, her gaze critical.

“Is it strange?” Alex asked. “Knowing Kara knows what’s inside your safe?” 

Lena’s brow furrowed in confusion. 

“She has x-ray vision,” Alex led, her head titled.

“The safe is lined with lead.”

“Why would you have a lead-lined safe in your apartment?” Alex asked.

“Super good reasons,” Lena answered, arching an eyebrow. “You might think it’s paranoid, but Luthors don’t exactly have a long history of Supers respecting our privacy.”

“‘Privacy’,” Alex quoted, her voice heavy with doubt.

“Not every secret leads to the end of the world,” Lena said. 

Alex worked her jaw. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a USB drive. 

“What’s that?” Lena asked, trying not to snap.

“Code found during a raid on an L-Corp owned warehouse in Star City.” Lena looked to the drive and then back to Alex’s face. “It was taken from Horace Rikker,” Alex said. “Winn thinks it’s Lex’s code for the device.”

Lena’s brow furrowed. “You arrested Rikker?”

Alex shook her head. “He escaped through a lead-lined tunnel.”

Lena frowned and cocked her head, putting two and two together. “I’m not the only person who knows lead is a Kryptonian weakness,” guessing that Alex was implying her involvement. “In fact, thanks to Lois Lane, most of the world knows their major weaknesses.”

“Winn thinks if you compare this code to yours you’ll be able to see Lex’s improvements.”

“Improvements?” Lena scoffed and she gave Alex a withering look. “Who said his modifications were improvements?”

Alex narrowed her eyes. “You recognized the device that day in your office in Star City.”

“No, I recognized the device that was stolen from me once I saw it in this lab,” Lena corrected with a sneer. The two women stared at each other. “You know it actually used to hurt my feelings a little bit that you didn’t like me, Alex,” Lena said, raising an eyebrow. “Considering I had plans to become your sister-in-law one day.”

Alex frowned, Lena’s barb confusing her. “Your relationship with Kara was never that serious.”

Lena fumed. “You mean not as serious as yours and Maggie’s.”

“I would never leave Maggie.”

“No?”

“You don’t leave people if you truly love them.”

“Sometimes truly loving someone is why you leave them,” Lena snapped. She held out her hand. “The drive?”

Alex stepped forward and gave it to Lena. She took it and placed it on the table next to her computer. Alex watched, waiting for Lena to plug the drive in, but Lena steadily ignored the new information. Alex rolled her eyes and seethed. “If you need help from Winn, just call.” Alex strode out of the lab and Lena exhaled. She waited until the door was closed before she plugged the drive into her machine and opened the files.

***************************************************************************************************

Winn, J’onn and Alex all looked up as Lena reluctantly walked into the bullpen an hour later, Rikker’s drive in her hands. 

“Can we help you, Ms. Luthor?” J’onn asked. 

“Do you have a large monitor, or projected screen that I can view the new code on?”

“The lab’s computer screen not big enough?” Alex asked.

“It’s a trick I learned from Kara, actually,” Lena said, tentatively looking between the three, and noticing the rest of the DEO agents around the room subtly watching her. “She always changed the fonts and type size of her articles when she was editing them; said that it was easier to catch typos that way.” When nobody responded she continued. “Something about this code is wrong, but I can’t figure out what it is. I thought if I could see it in a different way I might see the problem.”

“Of course,” Winn said. “We have a situation room that’ll work.” He looked over his shoulder at J’onn, who nodded his approval.

“Right this way, Ms. Luthor,” J’onn said, holding his hand out. Lena nodded and followed Alex as they walked from the bullpen down a long maze of hallways. Alex finally stopped beside a large door. She was just about to put her hand on the accompanying electronics panel when she heard Kara’s voice.

“Hey,” Kara asked, coming around the corner. All four pairs of eyes turned to take her in. “I was looking for you guys. Is everything okay?”

“Ms. Luthor is about to look at Rikker’s code on a big screen,” J’onn said.

“Oh.” Kara looked between the four, their forms all tense and nervous. “Is it OK if I tag along?”

“Of course,” Winn said, smiling. J’onn, Alex and Lena quietly nodded. 

Alex put her hand on the electronic panel on the wall and the door opened. Everyone entered, Alex closing the door once they were all inside, and Winn quickly fired up the system. He took the drive from Lena’s hands and plugged it in. Moments later the code was displayed on the huge wall-mounted screen.

“Can you run it so it scrolls?” Lena asked, her eyes on the screen.

“Yup,” Winn said, and the code ran from beginning to end. 

“Again?” Lena asked.

“K,” Winn said, running the code again.

“Again,” Lena said. Winn tapped the keyboard and the code scrolled by again.

“Do you see something, Ms. Luthor?” J’onn asked, his brow furrowed as he stared intently at her. Kara snapped her head and leveled a warning look in J’onn’s direction, and he instantly smoothed his brow and nodded in deference. Kara returned her gaze to Lena. 

“Wait, stop,” Lena said as the code ran by again. “Go back.”

Winn went back and ran the code again.

“Stop,” Lena said again. “Go back again but play at half speed?” Winn did as told. “There,” Lena said, pointing to the screen as the code was at the three-fourths mark. “Stop.” She looked at the screen for a long moment, her eyes darting along the symbols shown and her brow furrowed. “What’s Gold Kryptonite?”

“What?” Kara asked, shocked.

“What did you just say?” Alex asked, stepping forward and squaring her shoulders. 

Lena looked to the two and then back to the screen. “I tried to run the code through the device–“

“You what?” Alex barked, appalled.

“But it didn’t work,” Lena said calmly, continuing. “The reason this code won’t work with the device is because this string on the screen isn’t software code, it’s Lex’s version of the Algebraic Notation for the 1912 Levitsky-Marshall chess match interspersed with the physical properties of the Earth element Krypton.”

Winn did a double take as he looked back to the screen. “Whaaaat. But. It looks like code.” He studied the screen, captivated.

Lena nodded, acknowledging that it was deceptive.

“How did you get Gold Kryptonite from a chess match’s notation,” Alex asked coldly.

Lena looked to the others in the room. “There’s a legend that Levitsky’s winning move was so devastating that the spectators showered the board with gold coins; it’s called The Golden Move. Lex always got a kick out of it.”

“And?” Alex demanded.

“And included in this retelling are the physical properties of the Earth element Krypton; it made sense to put the two together.”

Alex fumed. “How do you know the properties of–“

“I used Krypton fluoride lasers before I took over L-Corp to create microelectronic chips on my nanobot project with Jack Spheer,” Lena coldly interrupted.

“Oh,” Kara said quietly, her obviously jealous voice piercing the tension. “So ‘good times’ in the lab with Jack involved lasers.” She absently kicked her toe against the floor. Lena looked to Kara before her attention was pulled back to Alex and Winn. 

“So, what?” Alex asked. “It’s not code, it’s–“

“A directive to make Gold Kryptonite.” Lena looked from Alex to Kara again. “What is Gold Kryptonite?” 

“It’s Kryptonite that’s been exposed to atomic energy,” Kara answered. 

“Radioactive Kryptonite,” Lena murmured, her brow furrowing. 

“Kryptonite is already radioactive,” Winn said. “Gold Kryptonite is just–”

“More so,” Kara said softly.

“If exposed to Gold Kryptonite, Kara would lose the ability to process yellow sunlight,” Alex said, her voice taut and cold.

Lena’s lips pulled into a tight line and she took a measured breath. 

“No powers,” Kara said with a shrug when she met Lena’s concerned gaze.

“She’d practically be human,” J’onn said.

The color ran from Lena’s face, her eyes never leaving Kara.

“Well, now we know what Lex wants the device for,” Winn said, looking from the group to the code. “He wants to kneecap Superman.” He paused and then looked back to the group. “And, Kara.”

Everyone was quiet and somber. There was a knock on the door and J’onn nodded. Alex opened it and an agent entered. He walked quickly to J’onn’s side and whispered in his ear. Kara immediately looked to Lena, and Lena looked back, her brows drawing together in confusion.

“Thank you,” J’onn said. He looked to Lena. “The DEO has just arrested your mother at an L-Corp owned facility in Star City.”

Lena’s jaw dropped.


	7. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lillian and Lex are not you, and you are not responsible for their bad deeds,” Kara said, frustration leaking into her words. “You’re good, Lena. Decent.”
> 
> “I don’t know how you can say that after everything that’s happened between us.”
> 
> Kara’s brow knit. “You hurting me doesn’t change the fact that I still think you’re a good person. I will always believe in you. No matter what.” Lena met Kara’s eye and they stared for a long moment before Kara looked away.

Lena exited the room quickly, her head held high after refusing J’onn’s offer to hear the details of her mother’s arrest. The agent who brought word of Lillian’s capture slipped out just after Lena, and J’onn, Winn, Alex and Kara stood together silently in the situation room as the news sunk in.

“Someone give Lena a hug, am I right?” Winn muttered and all eyes turned to him. He shrugged. “I wanted a hug when my terrorist parent was arrested.” Kara worked her jaw.

J’onn turned to Alex. “We’ll start our interrogations with her people; let Lillian sweat a little.” His attention turned to Kara as she started to walk toward the door. “Kara.” She stopped and turned to face him. “We may need you if any leads turn up.”

She nodded curtly, her hands balled into fists. She turned for the door again.

“Hey,” Alex called. Kara stopped again and exhaled, obviously frustrated to be stopped again. She turned to find Alex approaching her. “Maybe what Lena needs right now is space,” Alex said quietly. “Maybe,” she continued and she watched Kara take in another deep breath. “That’s what you both need.”

Kara nodded her head, not meeting Alex’s eye. “Or maybe I need to make my own decisions.”

Alex’s brow crumpled. “Kara, I’m just–“

“Good luck with Lillian’s minions,” Kara said. She turned and exited, leaving Alex stunned. J’onn came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. 

“We should get started.”

Alex nodded and followed J’onn and Winn from the room.

***************************************************************************************************

There was no knock at the lab door, just a quiet open and close. When Lena looked over she saw Kara standing meekly just inside the door. Lena smiled tightly and looked to the floor. “Kara.”

“Lena, I’m…” Kara walked to Lena’s side and stopped, Kara’s hands once again balling into fists. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“About what?” Lena asked through a pained smile. “The fact that my mother is a raving psychopath trying to kill me and frame me at the same time?” She gripped the edge of the table in front of her tightly with both hands and breathed, Kara standing silently at her side, waiting. They stood that way for a long moment. “Was your mother—your birth mother—really a lawyer?”

“It’s hard to describe,” Kara said, her gaze still on Lena’s profile. “I guess she was more of a, judicator.”

“Was she fair?” Lena asked. 

“She was righteous,” Kara answered. She paused. “Can you take a break?” 

Lena closed her eyes and exhaled. “I’m really not in the mood for the roof right–“

“No,” Kara interrupted. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Lena looked up and met Kara’s eye. There was something about the way Kara was looking at her, intense and trusting. Lena swallowed hard and nodded.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena followed Kara into the blue-lit room, the door automatically closing behind them. A glowing woman greeted them. “Hello, Kara.”

“Hello,” Kara answered with a slight smile.

“Is that a hologram?” Lena asked, impressed by the tech. 

“Lena, this is my mother, Alura,” Kara said, and she watched as Lena did a double take and swallowed hard. “This is Lena Luthor, mom.”

“I’ve heard much about you, Lena Luthor,” Alura said.

Lena looked wide eyed at Kara, unsure how to reply.

“It’s an AI, culled from living memory,” Kara explained. “It was retrieved from the pod that brought me here.”

“I am programmed to assist Kara on Earth,” Alura said.

“She’s beautiful,” Lena whispered, her eyes drifting back to the hologram. 

“Thank you,” Alura replied.

“You’re welcome,” Lena stammered.

“Alex helped design the room,” Kara said. “I’ve had access to the AI since I started work at the DEO two years ago.”

“Do you have an AI of your father as well?” Lena asked, her eyes never leaving Alura.

“Yes,” Kara said. “But not here.”

Lena looked to Kara. “I can’t imagine how difficult this must be for you.”

“At first it was a comfort,” Kara said. “A gift to see my mother again.”

“And now?” Lena asked, her brow furrowed.

“More complicated,” Kara said. She paused. “I’m grateful to have gotten to know my parents as an adult. When I left Krypton, I thought my mother was the best woman who ever lived. In the last couple of years, I found out both of my parents were different than who I thought they were as a child.” Kara paused. “My father created the Medusa virus that Lillian tried to use against aliens on Earth.” 

“What?” Lena asked, shocked.

“My father and Jor-El were tasked by the Kryptonian Science Council to create the virus to defend Krypton from invaders,” Kara said. “My uncle, Jor-El, disapproved. He thought it was unethical and genocidal, but my father went ahead with the virus’s creation anyway. He never created a vaccine.” She paused and then sighed. “My father was… He was a wonderful father to me, but as an adult I’ve learned about his other nature and it’s been difficult.”

Lena looked back to Alura. “And your mother?”

“My mother used me when I was a girl to capture my Aunt Astra. Astra was a fugitive who knew Krypton was on the verge of collapse. I loved my aunt, and learning as an adult that my mother had lied to me, used me…” Kara took a calming breath. “My mother knew that Astra was right about the fate of our planet, and did little with the information. She just, sent me away so I could survive while everyone on Krypton died.”

Lena looked to Kara and felt her world tilt as it hit home how much Kara had lost in her life. 

“You’re not responsible for your family’s deeds, just like I’m not responsible for mine,” Kara said, staring at Lena. “My parents could have tried harder to save Krypton, but they didn’t. And as a result I’m alone.”

Lena’s brow knit. “You’re not alone,” she argued. “You have your cousin, Alex–“

“No,” Kara said matter-of-factly. “I don’t.” She looked back to the hologram. “Thank you.”

“There is no need to thank me, Kara,” Alura said. “I am programmed to help you whenever you need me.” The hologram blinked out and Kara and Lena were left alone.

“Kara–“

“Lillian and Lex are not you, and you are not responsible for their bad deeds,” Kara said, frustration leaking into her words. “You’re good, Lena. Decent.”

“I don’t know how you can say that after everything that’s happened between us.”

Kara’s brow knit. “You hurting me doesn’t change the fact that I still think you’re a good person. I will always believe in you. No matter what.” Lena met Kara’s eye and they stared for a long moment before Kara looked away. “I have to go.” She glanced back to Lena before looking away. “You should probably get back to your lab.”

Lena nodded. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Kara weakly smiled and they left the room, and once in the hallway, headed in different directions. 

***************************************************************************************************

“Let me guess, you were on the roof,” Alex said dryly as Lena entered her lab.

“No,” Lena said, her mood quiet and contemplative. She glanced at Alex and then away as she walked. “What do you need, Alex.”

“Are you ok?” Alex asked, watching closely as Lena crossed to her desk.

“I’m fine,” Lena said. She stopped at her desk and looked up. 

Alex evaluated Lena for a moment and then stepped forward. “When your mother was arrested, she said she had permission from you to be in the L-Corp facility.”

“Of course she did,” Lena said through a mirthless smile. 

“She wants to see you,” Alex said calmly, arms crossed.

“No,” Lena said firmly.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked. Lena gave her a devastating look of disbelief and Alex continued, unfazed. “She might confide in you.”

“The last time I saw my mother in prison she framed me for stealing synthetic kryptonite, kidnapped me, and then tried to kill Kara, so I’ll pass.” Lena paused. “What L-Corp facility was she apprehended in?”

“A warehouse on Price.”

Lena shook her head, exhaling heavily. “I don’t know that one.”

“Sam Arias provided us with a list of facilities that appear to be purchased through illicit means. The one your mother was arrested in is one of them.” Lena met Alex’s eye. “It’s how we found her.”

Lena nodded, acknowledging the good job Sam had done.

Alex stepped forward again. “One of your mother’s lackeys had an encrypted drive on him that we think has the rest of Lex’s actual device code. It’ll take Winn a little time to break the encryption, but once he does…”

“Does he need help?” Lena asked without meeting Alex’s eye. 

“No.”

“Why is the DEO dealing with this?” Lena asked. “My mother, Lex…” 

“Lex is an anti-alien terrorist,” Alex said. “Everything he does pings the DEO, and after what your mother tried to do with the Medusa virus…” Lena’s jaw clenched and Alex backed off a shade. “Let’s just say that despite being human, the Luthors are officially ExtraNormal in the eyes of the U.S. Government.”

Lena exhaled, long and low before she rolled her shoulders.

Alex’s lips quirked. “All of the facilities that house nuclear materials in the country have been put on high alert.”

“And outside of the country?” Lena asked, almost rhetorically.

“We’ll stop whoever is doing this, Lena,” Alex said. Lena looked up and met her eye, doubt shining through, and Alex took another step forward. “We’ll stop them.” Lena swallowed hard and nodded her head. Alex watched her closely for a long moment. “Are you sure you’re all right?” 

Lena paused, collecting her thoughts. “The night Kara told me that she was Supergirl, she told me that her glasses project an image that she wants people to see, how she sees herself, and if after knowing Kara Danvers for a few minutes that’s not the most endearing thing you’ve ever heard…” Lena trailed off. “What I’m wondering is what we’d see if she put the glasses on now.” She met Alex’s eye.

Alex scoffed and rolled her eyes. “With the way she’s hopping from city to city, it’d be Supergirl, only she’d be 7 feet tall, have fifty extra pounds of muscle, and glow with the light of righteousness.”

“That’s what worries me,” Lena said.

Alex paused. She cocked her head and evaluated Lena. “Your mother’s just been arrested in a facility you own and you’re worried about Kara?”

“I don’t care about my mother,” Lena said. “How long would Gold Kryptonite take her powers?”

“Permanently.”

Lena’s brow quirked. “She’d practically be human,” she said, parroting J’onn’s words from earlier.

“That’s what you wanted for her, isn’t it?” Alex asked. “To live a normal life.”

“I wanted her to be happy, not defenseless,” Lena snapped. She shook her head, frustrated, and looked to the device on the table. She walked over to it, Alex watching her the whole time. “I wish I never thought of this.” Lena worked her jaw, her eyes stinging with angry tears. “My invention, something I was working on to help keep people safe, and he stole it from me. Twisted it,” Lena exhaled, angry, before reining her emotions in and smiling.

“What?” Alex asked, watching her closely.

“I can honestly say that I’m more upset about him stealing from me than his trying to kill me.” Lena’s smile faded to a grim line. 

Alex paused for a long moment before reaching into her pocket and producing something that caught Lena’s attention. Lena looked from her phone in Alex’s hand to her eyes. “Don’t tell anyone what you’re doing here,” Alex warned, handing the phone to Lena. 

“Do you honestly think I don’t know that you’ll be listening in on all of my calls,” Lena said wryly, taking the phone from Alex’s hand.

“Lena,” Alex warned with an arched eyebrow.

“Alex,” Lena snapped. She looked back up and then sighed, looking down at her phone. “Thank you.”

“Thank Kara,” Alex said. “She talked to my boss about it.”

Lena nodded.

“I’ll let you know when Winn has the new code.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. She slightly held up the phone and cocked her head. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Alex said. They shared a wary look and Alex left, Lena cradling the phone to her chest and looking uneasily at the device she created. 

***************************************************************************************************

“Parahuman.”

“What?” Alex asked, confused, as J’onn entered the room attached the Lillian’s cell. 

“Lillian Luthor has been technologically enhanced with a chip embeded in her skull behind her ear to block psychic interference, effectively making her a parahuman,” J’onn explained.

“You can’t read her thoughts.”

“Or emotions, her intentions. I can’t make her see a thought of my choosing. It’s as if her mind is blank.” J’onn sighed, wiping a hand over his face. “It’s likely Cadmus technology.”

“So now what?” Alex asked. “Lena already said no to speaking with Lillian.”

“Then we hope those who work for her give us enough to go on.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” Alex asked.

“It has to,” J’onn sighed, clearly tired. He shared a look with Alex and then left. A moment later Alex watched through the glass as J’onn re-entered Lillian’s cell, the tall woman smirking at him as he closed the door.

***************************************************************************************************

Rikker walked along the dock, his hands bundled deep in his coat pockets. His collar was popped, framing his face. He took in a deep breath and smiled. He loved the smell of salt water and wet wool. He was taking a risk walking out in the open during daylight hours, however, there was only so much time in a cramped safe house he could take, and his stomach was done with the prepackaged food in the cabinets. One greasy hamburger from a fast food joint surely wouldn’t blow his cover. 

A few more days and then he’d be free. He took another deep breath and once again smiled.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex looked up from the screen in front of her and smiled as James approached her. “Hey, how was Metropolis?” 

“It was good,” he said. He was tense, his demeanor serious. “I need to talk to you and J’onn.”

“OK,” Alex said, tensing. “Is everything all right?”

“I have some news for you that I don’t think you’re going to like.”

Alex nodded. She led James to a corner off of the bullpen and then returned several minutes later with J’onn. “What’s up?” Alex asked.

“The Daily Planet is going to run a story tomorrow by Lois Lane and me about Belle Reve, and how Lex Luthor was able to leak information to the outside world via bribed guards.” He watched as Alex and J’onn shared a disapproving look. “The President and the governor of Louisiana are trying to get ahead of the story,” James continued. “They’ve closed Belle Reve, effective immediately. All prisoners are being transferred as of right now.”

“Even Lex Luthor?” Alex asked, her brow deeply furrowed.

“Clark delivered him to Arkham Asylum in Gotham this morning.”

“And where is Superman now?” J’onn asked. “Why isn’t he here telling us the news with you?”

“He’s taking some time away to reflect,” James said, demurring. J’onn grunted and James’s brow quirked. 

Alex looked between the two and then back to James. “Do you know who bribed the guards?”

“No,” James answered. “The little we could find out pointed to an inventor trying to get Lex’s help in fixing a device that wasn’t working properly.”

Alex’s mouth hardened into a thin line.

“There’s a second part to the story that will run in a few days,” James continued. “About Lena.”

“What about her?” J’onn asked.

“She’s why Lex was moved to Belle Reve from Stryker Island in Metropolis, and she has an engineering program starting at St. Roch University that some are seeing as a bribe to the governor to take Lex.”

“Why would she care where he was kept?” J’onn asked, playing devil’s advocate. “Belle Reve was in theory a more secure prison than Stryker Island, further away from Lex Luthor’s Metropolis associates.”

“And further away from media centers and other forms of scrutiny and oversight,” James argued. 

“You mean Superman,” Alex breathed out and James nodded.

“There’s also the fact that she paid for the research space in St. Roch with questionable means that suggest she might not be on the up and up.”

“The payments were legal,” Alex said.

“You know about them?” James asked. “Do you know what Lex leaked?”

“The DEO is well aware of issues surrounding Lex Luthor and are working hard to mitigate any damage caused by a porous penitentiary system,” J’onn said. 

“This is bigger than a penitentiary system failure,” James said. “This is Lex Luthor making moves with help from the outside, and that’s a big deal. And if Lena’s involved?” He frowned, showing his thoughts on the matter.

“Hey buddy,” Winn said with a smile, clapping James on the arm as he joined the group. “Alex, Lena just made a call.” Alex and J’onn gave Winn stern stares. “What?” he asked, perplexed by their cold looks. 

“You’re tracking her phone calls?” James asked, looking to Alex and J’onn. He looked smug. “So you’re as suspicious of her as we are.”

“What… is going on?” Winn asked, looking between the three. 

“Nothing,” Alex said. She looked to James. “We have this handled.”

“Are you sure?” James asked. “Because from what Lois and I uncovered, it doesn’t seem like anyone is working to stop Lex.”

“You’re working with Lois Lane again?” Winn interjected. He looked between the three. “I feel like I’ve walked into this conversation really late.”

“If you could wait for me at your terminal, Agent Schott, I’d appreciate it,” J’onn said.

“O, kay,” Winn replied. He looked between the three again and left. 

“The DEO takes the situation with Lex Luthor very seriously,” J’onn said, staring sternly at James. “We appreciate the head’s up on the news story.”

“And?” James asked.

“We’ll handle it,” Alex said.

James shook his head and smiled, frustrated. “Government.” He looked up, his smile fading. “I know Kara still cares about Lena, but if she’s involved–“

“We have this handled,” Alex repeated. 

“We’ll let you know if we need any assistance, Mr. Olson,” J’onn said, stepping forward and holding his hand out. 

James looked to it warily and then shook it, his face showing how displeased he was to be dismissed. When James let go of J’onn’s hand, he pulled a folded set of papers from his pocket and placed them flat on a nearby table. “Our stories,” James said, pointing to the papers. “I’ll be at CatCo for the rest of the day, if you need me.” He looked between J’onn and Alex and then left. 

***************************************************************************************************

Kara knocked gently on the door jamb and Lena smiled, waving her in. “You got your phone back,” Kara said as she closed the door behind her and stopped by Lena’s side.

“Thanks to you,” Lena said. “I was just talking to Sam,” she added, gently waving the phone in front of her.

“She’s running L-Corp while you’re away,” Kara said, and Lena nodded. “She’s a good friend.”

Lena lightly blushed and put the phone down on the table to her left. “She’s a great CFO. Talented and trustworthy. I don’t know if she’d consider us friends, though. I am her boss.”

“Of course she considers you friends,” Kara said. “You rented out Amuseopolis for a whole day for Ruby’s birthday six months ago and then Sam sent you like, 20 videos of them taste-testing fudge.”

Lena broke into a bright smile. “That was pretty fun. You know Sam said Ruby rode the Superman rollercoaster six times in a row.”

“Full disclosure,” Kara said, impishly. “If it had been a Supergirl rollercoaster it would have been faster.”

Lena cocked her head to the side, a devilish smile on her lips. “Is that so?”

“It is,” Kara said, smiling proudly. “I’m even faster than Barry.” She took in Lena’s blank stare. “He’s my friend from another dimension who was turned into a superhero when he got hit by lightening the same time as a particle accelerator exploded.“

“What?” Lena said, eyes wide. When Kara looked like she was going to expand on the subject, Lena held up her hand, stopping her, and did a double take. “You’ll have to tell me more about that another time, but… I have to say, I like this side of you, bragging about being better than Superman.”

“Well,” Kara said, blushing. “I don’t really have the charismatic tall, dark and handsome thing going on so–“

“Please,” Lena interrupted. “Nobody has anything on your looks.”

Kara’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “Uh.”

“I’m sorry,” Lena said, cheeks turning rosy, her nose scrunching. “That was…”

“No, thank you,” Kara said carefully. “It’s a compliment coming from ‘the most beautiful innovator in the world’.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “A flattering descriptor from CatCo,” she said, blushing. “Though, I suspect biased.”

“Not by me,” Kara said. “That article went through after we broke up. I would have probably broken the keyboard if Snapper had told me to add ‘Lena Luthor’ and ‘eligible’ in the same sentence.”

Lena’s smile faded. “I’m sorry our break up put you in a bad position at work.”

“It’s okay,” Kara replied, her posture stiff. “I was getting to be a one-trick pony. Well, two, if you count quoting myself.”

“Don’t you think that’s a little harsh?” Lena asked. “I thought you were a very capable reporter.”

“‘Capable’,” Kara said, her eyebrows arching. “What every girl aspires to be.”

“You were learning, but your instincts were good and you really do have a way with words.”

Kara scoffed.

“Do you think I’d tell you were good at something if I didn’t think it?” 

Kara looked at Lena and saw the confusion in her eyes. “No,” Kara grumbled.

“I thought that was clear after your dinner party idea,” Lena said, arching an eyebrow.

“An appetizer bar featuring all of the best snack foods from the restaurants within four miles of my apartment was a brilliant idea. You just have limited vision.”

“Only the Girl of Steel could eat food from that fusion place.”

“Pizza vs. Taco isn’t a fusion restaurant just because they serve two different kinds of food.”

Lena smiled and Kara smiled in return. They both looked to the door when they heard the knock.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Alex said, stepping into the room.

“Uh, no,” Lena said, stepping away from Kara. “We were just talking.”

Alex nodded and crossed the room to their sides. “I need to talk to Lena,” Alex said, looking to Kara.

“About?” Lena asked, looking between the sisters.

“Something confidential,” Alex replied.

Kara nodded and made to leave when Lena spoke. “She can stay.” Kara froze in place.

Alex looked to Kara and then back to Lena. “I don’t think–“

“Whatever confidential thing you have to say to me will likely affect Supergirl,” Lena reasoned.

Alex looked to Kara and arched an eyebrow. Kara nodded at Lena’s reasoning and returned to where she had been standing at Lena’s side. 

Alex nodded softly as she took a deep breath, her lips pursed. She turned her attention to Lena. “The President and Governor of Louisiana are closing Belle Reve.”

“What?” Lena asked, aghast.

“How can they do that?” Kara added.

“There’s going to be a story tomorrow in the Daily Planet, a joint CatCo exclusive, that Lois and James have been working on about lax security at the prison. The story is going to discuss how Lex was likely being fed schematics and leaking his changes via a bribed guard to an outside lab.”

“What lab,” Lena asked through gritted teeth.

“Initially, a lab in Metropolis,” Alex answered.

“I shut down all the labs in Metropolis,” Lena said.

“It wasn’t an L-Corp lab,” Alex clarified. “Likely third party.”

“Cadmus?” Kara asked.

“We don’t know,” Alex said.

Lena paced away, rubbing her forehead. She stopped and turned, her hand dropping to her side. “What about Lex?”

“Superman is personally transferring him to another facility.”

“Where?” Kara asked.

“Gotham,” Alex replied.

Lena looked appalled. “Arkham?”

“I think she actually said Gotham,” Kara said. Lena’s brow furrowed as she looked to Kara.

“Arkham is in Gotham,” Alex said to Kara before turning back to Lena. “And yes, Arkham.”

Kara looked between them. “What is Arkham? It’s another prison, right?”

“Not exactly,” Alex said.

“Arkham is an asylum for the criminally insane,” Lena said bitterly. “Notorious for housing the most unstable criminals on the planet. It’d be like a buffet for him, he could pick and chose his own personal gang of villians.” 

“Superman and the DEO have constructed a special cell for Lex. He won’t be interacting with the rest of the population,” Alex said.

“So he’ll be in solitary,” Kara clarified. 

“I can’t get into the specifics, but everyone agrees that he’s too dangerous to be around the rest of–“

“The murderous rogue’s gallery housed there,” Lena said, exhaling. “When is he being transferred?”

“If all’s gone well he should already be there,” Alex said.

Lena looked at her incredulous. “You didn’t trust me to tell me before hand– Did you think I would tell someone?”

Alex smiled, angry. “While I’m flattered that you think I’m in charge, I told you as soon as I was cleared to do so.”

Lena steamed. “The press is going to expect a statement from me about Lex’s transfer. What am I supposed to say?”

“Let L-Corp’s publicity department handle it,” Alex said. 

Lena squared on Alex. “If L-Corp puts out a generic concern announcement, then everyone will think I don’t have the courage to say something myself, or worse after Tom Manaugh’s stunt in the Daily Star, that I am involved with Lex in some way.”

“She’s right,” Kara said. “The press will jump all over a non-comment.”

“So call Sam, ask her to say something,” Alex said and Lena looked at her sharply.

“Sam is our CFO.”

“I am aware,” Alex said. “But she also believes in you, and she may be the best person to deliver your message within your company. Just, keep it vague.”

“And not mention that I’m being kept at a secret government facility?”

“You’re not being kept,” Kara said, confused. “Alex tell her.”

“You can leave whenever you want,” Alex said flatly.

“So when my brother attacks again it won’t look like I left because I was involved,” Lena said, working her jaw and Alex just raised an eyebrow in return.

Kara looked between the two, unsettled by the tension in the room. “OK, so, Lena is going to put out a statement via Sam… And then?” 

“We hope that the news story doesn’t drive the people we need to find underground,” Alex answered.

“You said schematics,” Lena said. “For this device?”

Alex nodded. “And another.”

“What is the other device?” Lena asked.

“His Warsuit.”

“So he made modifications to his Warsuit,” Lena said, soaking the information in. “Do you know what they are?”

“Classified,” Alex said.

“Alex,” Kara said.

“Again, flattered that you think I’m in charge,” Alex said, shooting Kara an annoyed look. Alex looked back to Lena. “There’s more.”

“Of course,” Lena said.

“Part of Lois and James’s story is going to focus on you.”

“Me?” Lena asked, her face twisting with confusion.

“Your research program in St. Roch and your influence with the Louisiana governor.”

“My influence?” Lena repeated, aghast. “I spoke to the man once. And the program in St. Roch is to promote engineering at the university and diversify regional influence in the STEM workforce.”

“James and Lois see it differently,” Alex said.

Lena steamed. “Of course they do. Because why would a research project in a historically socioeconomically stagnate region as thanks for holding my brother at Belle Reve be benevolent if it’s funded by a Luthor.”

“You funded it with LLCs in a way that looks like you’re laundering money,” Alex snipped.

“I can’t help it if the outside world is ignorant of tax loopholes, Agent Danvers–“

“Really,” Alex said, exasperated. “Back to this?”

“There’s nothing illegal about anything I’ve done,” Lena said strongly. “If you disagree, arrest me.”

“Whoa,” Kara said, stepping between the two, alarmed by how fast the conversation was escalating. “Nobody is arresting anyone.”

Alex shook her head. “You bring this on yourself, Lena.”

“Alex,” Kara said, turning to face her sister, her eyes going wide.

“If you were really so concerned with people not perceiving you as evil, you wouldn’t make half of the shady moves you do,” Alex said.

“OK out,” Kara said, pointing to the door and staring down Alex. Alex flexed her jaw. “Out, Alex.”

Alex shook her head and exhaled peevishly. She turned and exited the lab, the door shutting heavily after her.

Kara turned to Lena. “Are you Ok?”

Lena turned to the table holding her device. She was quiet for a moment before speaking. “The lab in St. Roch is for a research project.”

“I know,” Kara said. “I remember when you came up with the idea. We were having take out on your office couch.”

Lena nodded, remembering that evening. Kara laughing, her arms curled around the boxes of food she had claimed. Lena worked her jaw. “But the lab is also a double gambit,” she slowly admitted, and Kara struggled to contain her surprise. “I thought if it appeared that Lex was making moves, my mother would come out of the woodwork. She never could resist trying to help him with his anti-alien agenda. If she made herself known, she’d make a mistake, and the government could arrest her.”

“And the second gambit?” Kara asked.

“My mother was on the LuthorCorp board. She still has supporters in my company that I’m flushing out. I thought that something that looked like money laundering might cause someone to think one of my mother’s plans was in motion, and it would push them to make their own financial moves. I’ve set Sam up to find anyone who tries.”

“Lena,” Kara said, her stomach dropping. “Did you have anything to do with the attacks?”

“No,” Lena said. She looked up and met Kara’s eye, and they stared, both sad that Kara had asked. Lena looked away and swallowed hard. “This, cycle, I’m in with my family. My mother, my brother, they bait me and I react, lashing out.” She looked up and met Kara’s eye. “But I’m smart. Cunning. I don’t need to lash out. The attacks, this device, their supporters– They’re trying to make me emotional so I make a mistake. But if I’m cold, I can win.”

“You don’t have to be cold to win,” Kara said. 

“Yes I do,” Lena countered. “Kara–“ She stopped herself and looked to the ground, exhaling heavily. “Lex scares me to death,” she said. She met Kara’s eye. “I try not to show it, but he does, and I want him stopped.”

“We’ll stop him,” Kara said. “I promise.”

Lena nodded, the look on her face dubious. 

“Lena…” Kara trailed off. “I won’t let them hurt you.”

“I’m not sure you can stop them,” Lena said. “Not even Supergirl can stop everything bad in the world.”

Kara looked to her hands before looking back up. She took a small step forward, her mouth open to say something before she stopped herself. She pressed her lips together and then spoke. “I’m going to go see if there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Thank you,” Lena said.

“Lena.” Lena looked up and met Kara’s eye. “You don’t have to be afraid.”

Lena nodded. Kara smiled and Lena’s lips slightly quirked up. Kara turned and left, and Lena’s brow crumpled as the door closed behind her.

***************************************************************************************************

“Alex,” Kara barked, striding toward her sister in the bullpen. Alex turned and set her jaw, crossing her arms. “Do you know why Lex was moved from Stryker Island to Belle Reve last year?”

“Because Lena petitioned the governor,” Alex said.

“Because Lena knew that Stryker Island was too close to Metropolis, too tempting for Lex and his old associates to reconnect, and that she’d never be able to remake L-Corp as a force for good with his shadow looming,” Kara said. “She’s funding the engineering program at St. Roch University as a thank you for taking Lex.”

“Some may see that as a bribe,” Alex said, raising an eyebrow.

“She didn’t offer the program until after Lex was moved.” Kara sighed, frustrated that Alex couldn’t see what was so obvious to her. “Lena’s methods aren’t always obvious.” Alex scoffed. “But they’re rooted in goodness,” Kara said, catching Alex’s eye. “She just told me that she thought if Lex was in Louisiana, that it would cause people trying to help him to make mistakes. Go to more trouble to help him and their actions would stand out more, not be lost in the noise that is Metropolis. Alex, if you would have just talked to me, talked to her–”

“Kara, I’m just doing my job.” 

“And I get that sometimes that means you need to keep a part of yourself separate, but since when has that meant keeping things from me?” Kara asked. “You knew about the payments—have known about them for a while. Alex, I work here, too.”

Alex cocked her head. “I didn’t tell you about them because it was Lena. I was trying to protect you.”

“Are you sure?” 

Alex looked at Kara, confused. “Of course.”

“Because it kind of feels like you were protecting yourself,” Kara said. “Like you’re hiding from me that you were suspicious. That you think Lena is involved.”

Alex’s face fell. “There is so much pointing to her being involved–”

“Because her family is setting her up.”

“And yet maybe it’s easier for my brain to handle that the simplest, most obvious answer is true,” Alex said, her voice quiet and angry. “That Lena is responsible rather than the alternative, that everything I do in my life to put bad guys behind bars is _meaningless_ because they can just keep doing bad things from a remote government prison.” She exhaled. “I want to be wrong, Kara. I don’t want this to be Lena, but I also don’t want it to be Lex. Because if it’s him, if we can put the worst of the worst away in highly secure prisons and they can still wreck havoc…?” Alex shrugged. “What am I doing with my life?”

Kara didn’t look away. “Trust Lena.” 

“Kara–“

“Trust her,” Kara said more strongly. “I do, and I have no reason to after everything that’s happened between us.”

“Of course you do,” Alex said, her brow crumpling and her look turning soft. “Kara, you still love her.”

Kara looked to her feet and swallowed hard.

Alex looked to the side, realizing that this was a bigger conversation than the one they were having. “Kara–“

“I have to go,” Kara said, looking to the side and then to Alex. “If you only look at Lena you’re going to miss what’s really going on. Don’t,” Kara said. She turned and flew out of the DEO, Alex watching her go.

***************************************************************************************************

James looked up to see Kara walking into Cat Grant’s old office from the balcony.

“Kara,” he said, standing. 

“How long have you been working on this story?” she asked, her hands on her hips.

He took in her Supergirl stance and laughed, full of disbelief that her severe expression was for him. “Lois has been working on this story since Lex was transferred to Belle Reve. She thought the move was suspicious. She looped me in a couple of weeks ago.”

“Lena pushed for the move to Belle Reve to get Lex away from his old associates in Metropolis.”

“Or, she moved him to a remote location away from all major investigative newsrooms and Superman,” he replied, his brow knitting. “Out of sight, out of mind. It’s easier to plot when nobody is watching.”

“You don’t really think that,” Kara said.

“Good journalism looks at both sides,” James said, his brow smoothing.

“No, good journalism looks for the truth,” Kara said strongly. She shook her head. “I can’t believe Kal-El didn’t tell me about this.”

“He didn’t know,” James said, and he watched as the surprise registered on her face. “In the beginning, Lois told him her suspicions and Clark tried to talk her out of it. She told him she had given the story up, then kept on quietly working.”

“She lied to him?” Kara asked.

“This was too important to sweep under the rug because of what Lena meant to you,” James said matter-of-factly. “Your cousin is a good man, Kara, but he’s blinded by his belief in you, your judgement.”

“But you’re not,” Kara said, bitterly.

James looked away and then back. “Lex Luthor is the most evil human being I have ever known. If there is any chance, any chance, that Lena is helping him, I can’t look away.”

“And what happens to her when you’re wrong?” Kara said. “Because you are.”

“She’s a woman of means,” James said. “She’ll buy a better reputation; the rich always do.”

“You’re wrong about her,” Kara said.

“I hope for your sake I am,” James said. “Because it’s obvious you still care about her and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Kara took in a deep breath. “You and Lois didn’t find anything about the person who bribed the guard at Belle Reve?”

“No,” James said. “Only that it was an inventor who had a device that didn’t work. They wanted Lex to fix its flaws.”

Kara nodded her head. “Where is Kal-El now?”

“The Fortress of Solitude.”

“He’s upset,” Kara said, her brow knitting. 

“Lois…” James trailed off. “You’ve never met Lex, Kara, seen what he can do.”

“I know what he can do,” Kara said darkly. 

“Knowing and being the victim of it are two different things,” James said. He paused. “Lois was doing what she thought she needed to do to protect your cousin.” James took a conciliatory step forward. “I’m following the truth here, Kara, and I’m sorry, but right now? It’s looking bad for Lena.”

Kara looked up and met his eye. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing. But whatever is going on with Lex doesn’t involve Lena.”

James nodded, not in agreement, but in deference to her feelings. 

“If you find anything else out–“

“You and Alex will be the first to know,” James promised. 

She nodded and flew from the office, James watching her go with a frown.

***************************************************************************************************

Alex looked up, surprised, as Lena walked toward her in the bullpen, the late evening shift just coming on duty.

“I want to see my mother,” Lena said as she stopped in front of Alex and J’onn.

“Are you sure?” J’onn asked. 

“Are you getting anywhere with her?” Lena asked, arching a challenging eyebrow. 

J’onn frowned, showing he wasn’t. “We’ll be watching you the entire time.”

Lena took his reassuring words to also be a warning. “Of course.”

“You’ll be safe,” Alex added.

“I’m not afraid of her,” Lena scoffed as she met Alex’s eye. Alex and J’onn shared a look. “I’ll need your help if we want to get her to talk,” Lena said in a conciliatory tone, looking between the two. 

“Just tell us what you need,” Alex said, and Lena nodded her thanks. 

***************************************************************************************************

Lena walked into the austere room to find her mother standing near the far wall. “Lena. I knew you’d come.”

“Did you?” Lena asked, looking around the room. It was light gray and sterile, with a firm bed in the corner and a table and chair bolted to the floor in the middle of the room. “And why’s that?” Lena asked, meeting her mother’s eye.

“Because your move to Star City showed me that you were finally serious about living up to who you really are. That you’d seen the light.”

“The light,” Lena led.

“No more Supergirl,” Lillian said. “No more playing at appearances. Your time finally devoted entirely to your genius.”

Lena hummed. “They told me that you put a chip in your head so that people can’t read your thoughts,” Lena said. “Wouldn’t it have just been easier to fashion a hat out of tinfoil?”

“Aliens who can read thoughts and control minds are very real, dear, something I learned from my time with Cadmus. The chip was only a precaution.” Lillian smiled. “You always thought Lex was paranoid, but it turns out he was right about so many things. This,” she said, gently touching the place behind her right ear. “Is just one of them.”

Lena paused for a long moment. “You were arrested in a building I own, but didn’t buy.”

“Well, what can I say?” A proud smile pulled at Lillian’s lips. “Loyalty lives.”

Lena smirked. “What were you doing in Star City, mother?”

Lillian made a show of looking to the two-way mirror and then back to Lena. “Can’t a mother check up on her daughter?”

Lena pursed her lips and nodded her head before looking up. “There’s a man trying to kill me,” Lena said. “Horace Rikker. He used to work for Lex.”

“I know Horace,” Lillian said. “And he’s not trying to kill you, Lena. If anything he’s trying to get your attention.”

“My attention.”

“If he wanted you dead, you would be,” Lillian said. “And if he were seriously trying to harm you, I’d kill him myself.”

Lena pressed her lips together.

“Despite what you think, Lena, I do love you. And I’d do anything to protect you.”

Lena took a deep breath. “What are you up to?”

“The same thing I always have been.”

“Your anti-alien agenda.”

“Protecting my children,” Lillian said firmly. 

Lena smiled. “That’s rich.”

“You don’t believe me.”

“No, I don’t,” Lena said. “I think if you loved your children, you’d stop with whatever it is you’re doing with Cadmus and Rikker and melt away. Let us live our lives in peace.”

Lillian moved forward. “You doubt that I have your best interests at heart.”

“I do,” Lena said, her eyebrows rising. “Considering the last time I visited you in prison you used me to break out and then framed me for facilitating your escape.”

“I was hoping to nudge you to my side, to help you see things as I do. A bad tack,” Lillian said. She sighed, frustrated. “I’m sorry dear. There’s so much I want to tell you.”

“Then tell me,” Lena said coolly.

“In a DEO facility that’s been bugged from floorboards to ceiling tiles? I’m afraid not.”

“I thought you’d say that,” Lena said. She held up her arm, showing off a smart watch; she pressed a button and the lights flickered before steadying, a low humming sound filling the space. Lillian looked around, wide-eyed before looking back to Lena. “A dampener of my own design. Their cameras and microphones are worthless and the door lock has been overridden. They aren’t getting in without a bazooka unless I let them.”

“My clever girl,” Lillian purred. She pulled herself to her full height. “I always knew that once you found out the truth about Supergirl’s secret identity, you would help me.”

“What are you talking about?” Lena asked, her brow crumped.

Lillian’s own brow furrowed in response. “Your friend, Kara Danvers being Supergirl.”

The color ran from Lena’s face and she turned away from Lillian.

“I’m sorry,” Lillian said haltingly. “I thought you knew.” She paused. “I thought that discovering her true identity was the reason for your move to Star City.”

Lena pressed her hands together before her and took a deep breath. She’d suspected Lillian might know the truth, but hearing it confirmed sent a spike of fear through Lena’s heart.

Lillian exhaled and looked to the side. “I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. I thought you’d figured it out on your own. That you didn’t is disappointing.” Lena turned and faced Lillian, who met her eye with an imperious gaze. “You may be less ready than I thought to join me.”

“Join you,” Lena spit. 

Lillian moved close to Lena. “This is our chance, Lena, to finally set Lex free.”

“Lex will never be free.” 

“They’ll let Lex go once we have it. With Lex’s Warsuit, Rikker has the ability to take anything he wants,” Lillian said proudly. “With the money and plans I supplied him, he’ll be walking away with a weapon that makes the bomb planted at that National City school look like child’s play.”

“A weapon?” Lena said. “Not Kryptonite?”

“Kryptonite?” Lillian smiled, condescendingly. “Why would we want Kryptonite when we could steal a nuclear sub?”

Lena’s jaw dropped. The smile that spread across her face started subtly. “I don’t believe it.” She watched as Lillian’s smile faded, concern growing on her face at Lena’s expression. “You don’t know what Lex is really planning,” Lena said. She cocked her head and smirked. “That you only know enough to help us stop him is, well, delicious.”

“What are you talking about,” Lillian said, looking alarmed. 

“Lex and Rikker are playing you, mother,” Lena said. Lillian’s jaw clenched and Lena stepped closer. “Lex is mad; he doesn’t care about his freedom. He only cares about one thing, and it’s not family, or the Luthor name. It’s killing Superman. The submarine isn’t the goal, but it will be the key to stopping him and Rikker.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh but I do,” Lena said. “Because I’m three steps ahead of you.”

Lillian stared at Lena. “You knew,” she said. “You knew about Supergirl’s true identity.”

“I’m going to stop Lex,” Lena said coldly. “And after I do, I’m going to make sure the government buries you and Lex in holes so deep no-one will hear your rants and lies again for the rest of your lives.”

“Lena–“

The door opened and Lillian looked to it, shocked. She looked to Lena’s watch and then back to her face. “They heard the whole thing,” Lena said. “They flicked the lights when I held up my wrist and that hum was a sound app.” She shook her head as she turned the sound on her watch off. “Really, mother. You’ve lost your touch.” Lena turned and exited the room. 

***************************************************************************************************

Alex fell in beside Lena as she headed back to her lab. “You did a good job, Lena.”

“Did any of the drives you recovered have Lex’s schematics for his Warsuit?” Lena asked. 

“Yes,” Alex replied.

Lena stopped and looked to Alex. “Then I’m wasting my time with my device,” she said. “Give me the Warsuit schematics so I can figure out how to shut it down.”

Alex hesitated. “I can ask, but giving you anything other than material related to your device is not my decision.”

Lena sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“I’ll ask,” Alex said, watching as Lena dropped her hand to her side. “Thank you, for what you did back there. The Navy has been put on high-alert and other nuclear-power governments are being alerted of the danger immediately.”

“When this is over I want my mother locked away.”

“Absolutely,” Alex said.

Lena nodded and left, walking down the hall and taking the corner to her lab. Alex watched her go and then returned to help J’onn.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena yawned. It was early the next morning, an hour that she usually never saw, but she couldn’t sleep. She ran Lex’s code through her device and frowned. There was still something missing, some piece that she wasn’t seeing, because the device powered up like it was going to work and then… Nothing. She looked up as Kara entered the lab with a small smile on her lips.

“Good morning,” Lena said with a rueful smile, acknowledging that it was ridiculous that they were both awake and in the lab. 

“Winn told me you confronted your mother yesterday,” Kara said. “That couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it was going to be,” Lena admitted. She looked down. “I know you want me to be more compassionate toward her–“

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head. “I pushed you to seek reconciliation with your mother when she was in jail the last time because I wish I had had the chance with my own mother, and I thought it would help you. But I know you better now. You don’t need that from Lillian.“

Lena nodded her head. “You know, I never thanked you for breakfast from Méson the other day.” Lena looked to her hands. “Is it all right to say that I was a little disappointed that you didn’t drop it off personally?” She looked up and met Kara’s eye.

Kara gaped. “I, didn’t think you’d mind, given, everything…” she trailed off. “There was something I had to take care of, anyway, so…”

Lena nodded and they stood awkwardly across from each other. “Kara.” Kara looked up and waited as Lena fumbled for the words, speaking through wincing smiles and wringing her hands before her. “I made a horrible mistake when I said we shouldn’t be friends.” 

“You did,” Kara agreed.

Lena looked surprised; Kara’s frank response wasn’t what she was expecting. 

Kara studied Lena’s shocked expression for a long moment before she spoke. “Did you think I was going to say that everything is forgotten just because I offered to get you breakfast while you’re here, and we’ve had a couple of good conversations?” 

“No,” Lena said, swallowing hard. “Absolutely not.”

Kara pressed her lips together, her expression pained. “Ever since you’ve been back… You set boundaries when you left National City and now you’re just, talking to me like–”

“You’re right,” Lena said. “I’m sorry.” Lena briefly looked to her hands. “You have every right to hate me.”

“I don’t, hate, you, Lena,” Kara exhaled, her shoulders slumping. “I–” She took in a deep breath. “I’m, confused.” 

Lena nodded. “I thought.” She paused and then winced at her own awkwardness. “I don’t know what I thought. Just that I miss you.” She watched as Kara absorbed her words. “And I know things won’t ever be like they were, before; how can they be?” Lena said, plowing on. “But, maybe. Maybe, if they’ll let me leave for an hour, we could go get brunch together a little later today? I need a break from the DEO, and I’d like to spend the time with you.”

“With me,” Kara said carefully. 

“Like we used to, as friends,” Lena said, and she watched as the last word impacted Kara, her body shifting slightly where she stood.

Kara met Lena’s eye. “Supergirl doesn’t do brunch.”

“Oh,” Lena said, her frame shrinking.

“Not, because I don’t want to…” Kara reluctantly offered with a sigh. Lena looked up to meet her eye. “But because the cape kind of draws a crowd.” Kara held the edge of her cape and flapped it self-consciously.

Lena felt herself lighten. “Well, then… Perhaps you could pull Kara Danvers out of the mothballs,” she said hopefully. “Just long enough for Eggs Benedict.”

Kara frowned. 

“I actually miss the glasses,” Lena confided, and Kara looked to her, curiously. “I always liked how you would fidget with them when you were flustered.”

“Well, there was nobody better at making me flustered than you.” They smiled at each other briefly before Kara’s smile faded and she sighed. “ _If_ we brunch it’ll be in the papers.” 

“And?” Lena said with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

“Billionaire L-Corp CEO Lena Luthor lunches with unemployed ex-girlfriend Kara Danvers?”

“You sound like a reporter,” Lena said with a bright smile. She watched as Kara slightly stiffened, and Lena realized her misstep. She sputtered, “Or we could order in, if you’d rather?”

“No,” Kara said shaking her head. “You’re right, you need to get out of this lab.” 

“OK,” Lena said. “So…?”

Kara looked to the ceiling and then back. “If they say it’s OK, we can go to brunch.” 

Lena couldn’t help the megawatt smile that pulled at her lips and she watched as Kara’s face turned thoughtful. “What?”

Kara smiled sheepishly. “I’m trying to remember where I put Kara Danvers’s glasses.”

“Your bedside table,” Lena replied automatically. Kara’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I mean,” Lena stopped. “I never saw you without them, when we… You never took them off, or at least not when the lights were on,” she blushed. “But I did notice that there was a space for them on your bedside table.”

Kara nodded with an embarrassed smile. “I’ll look there then. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” Lena said. She looked to a clock and then back to Kara. “Meet me back here in four hours?”

“Deal,” Kara said. They shared a smile and then Lena went back to her work. Kara watched for a moment before speaking. “Is it hard? Working on Lex’s tech?”

Lena stopped what she was doing and slightly nodded. “He improved on an aspect of the design I always had trouble with. It’s annoying, actually, but not unexpected.” She paused. “I am surprised, though, about…” She trailed off and shook her head, abandoning the thought.

“About what?” Kara nudged. 

“How guilty I feel,” Lena said. She looked to Kara and then away. “Because here I am working to undo yet another evil of my brother’s, and a part of me is sad that I didn’t have the opportunity to work on this with him.” She smiled. “Not that I wish we were co-conspirators in an evil scheme–“

“But he’s your brother. I get it.”

Lena nodded. Of course Kara did. “Anyway,” Lena said smiling. “Unexpected feelings.” She looked up and met Kara’s eye.

“Yeah,” Kara said. They stared for a moment. “So I need to go,” Kara said, eyeing the door and then bashfully smiling to Lena.

“Right,” Lena said, blushing. “Be careful?”

“Of course,” Kara said, quirking her brow. “It would be a bad idea to get hurt, what with having plans in a few hours.” Lena smiled brightly at that and Kara smiled warmly in return before leaving.

***************************************************************************************************

Kara walked through the bullpen. Just as she was about to lift off for the open window, Alex’s voice stopped her. 

“Hey,” Alex called.

“Hey,” Kara replied, her brow knitting as she turned to take in Alex. 

“You’re here early,” Alex said, smiling almost nervously.

“I could say the same about you,” Kara said. “Maggie couldn’t be happy about you getting up before the crack of dawn. New lead?”

“No, I just, I wanted to get a jump on the day,” Alex said, shaking her head and looking to her feet. She looked up. “Why are you here?”

“I couldn’t sleep last night. I was checking on a few things in Central City and thought I would report back.” She looked to the side, trying to figure out if she wanted to say more. “And then I dropped in on Lena.” Alex’s brows rose and Kara quickly added, “In the lab.”

“Oh,” Alex said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I didn’t know she was working.”

“She’s always working,” Kara replied. 

Alex nodded, softening. “She’s doing a good job.”

“She’s trying to finish so she can go home,” Kara said. The statement felt final. 

Alex shifted her weight. “So, I feel like we haven’t hung out in a really long time,” Alex said with a nervous smile. “Do you want to get breakfast? I could really go for a bacon sausage sandwich right now.”

“Oh, I.” Kara frowned. “I’m getting brunch with Lena, later.” 

“Oh,” Alex said, her face registering surprise.

“J’onn said it would be OK if she left the DEO if I was with her. She needs to get out of the lab,” Kara explained. “Time away from work usually helps her if she’s stuck.”

“Right, of course, it’s a good idea,” Alex said, nodding her head. “Did, you, suggest it?”

“She did,” Kara said.

“Well, that’s good,” Alex said. She looked to Kara. “That’s good, right?”

“It’s brunch,” Kara said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. 

“Right.”

“What?” Kara asked, sensing that Alex wanted to say something more.

“It’s just. Since when do you turn down having breakfast and brunch in the same day?” Alex asked.

Kara winced and looked away. “I’ve been up all night, Alex, and I just want to go home and sleep for a few–“

“No, that’s. I get it,” Alex said, bobbing her head. “Go. Get some rest.”

“I’ll see you later?” Alex nodded and Kara turned and flew out of the DEO. Alex frowned before turning back to her own work.

***************************************************************************************************

“What?” Kara asked. Lena seemed to be far away, a warm smile on her lips, their coffee and mostly-eaten breakfasts before them as they sat in a covered outdoor space at a quiet National City restaurant.

“Oh, nothing. I’m just trying to figure out how many times I gushed about Supergirl to Kara Danvers.”

Kara blushed and fidgeted with her glasses. “Uh, once or twice.”

Lena’s eyebrows arched. “It was more than that.”

Kara lightly laughed. “Three or four or eighteen times.” Lena laughed. “But who was counting.”

Lena scrunched her nose, embarrassed.

“It was more, the other way, though,” Kara said. “Gushing about Kara Danvers to Supergirl.” Lena blushed. “It was flattering,” Kara quickly reassured. “And, an ego boost when I wasn’t sure if you liked me, or just saw me as some rookie reporter trying to manipulate you for a story that you could then use for good press.”

Lena cleared her throat and smiled. “Well, I meant what I said after my mother kidnapped me: Supergirl might have saved me, but Kara Danvers was always my hero.”

“Ah,” Kara laughed, her features tight and Lena looked to her quizically. “Did you plan this, ‘Kara Danvers intervention’ with Alex?” Kara asked, squinting her eyes.

Lena’s brows shot to her hairline. “Plan an intervention with Alex? I can’t even plan a birthday party with her.”

“But that was fun,” Kara said, truly smiling at the memory of her last birthday.

“There were two cakes,” Lena said.

“And you say that like it’s something I wouldn’t appreciate,” Kara said, taking a bite of her second plate of pancakes.

Lena smiled, fondly. “It was adorable trying to watch you sneak-eat an entire cake by yourself.”

“Well, you didn’t know that I was Supergirl yet, I had to be subtle.”

“It wasn’t subtle,” Lena said. “I actually think that might have been one of the times my brain fought very hard with my heart about knowing about you and your alter ego.”

“What?” Kara said, her mouth full of pancakes. 

Lena sputtered slightly as she realized what she said. She licked her lips, trying to recover. “I…” 

“You said you didn’t know,” Kara said, her words muffled by the food in her mouth.

“I didn’t know that you were Supergirl,” Lena said. “Not definitively,” she added slowly.

Kara stared, her cheek still full of pancakes.

“A very small part of me suspected,” Lena confessed.

Kara chewed three times and then swallowed. “Oh.” She put her fork down on her plate. “How small is very?” she asked, her brow quirked.

“In retrospect, I realize that it crossed my mind a couple of times,” Lena admitted. When Kara didn’t speak, Lena elaborated. “It was mostly in the beginning, before I got to know you. You were always running off when bad things happened, and Supergirl was always there when I needed her… I felt safe with Supergirl, I…” Kara looked away. “Whenever my brain would start to piece it together, my heart would swoop in and confuse things,” Lena said. “Supergirl is iconic, she belongs to the world, and I guess I just couldn’t believe that my Kara could belong to anyone other than me.” 

The possessive descriptor pierced Kara’s heart. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“No, I.” Lena stopped. “I didn’t bring it up so that you would apologize.” She paused. “I think that the night you told me I was in such shock from the attack and so surprised when you took off your glasses that I couldn’t… fully articulate how much sense it all made. I tried, but…” Kara smiled politely, and shifted in her seat. She scrunched her nose and then pushed her glasses up, Lena watching the whole time. “Are you all right?”

“Yeah.” Kara paused. “It’s weird, talking about this,” she confided. “And wearing the glasses again, pretending to be Kara Danvers.”

Lena tried not to look flustered by the admission. “Do you not want to be called Kara anymore?” She took a sip of her coffee.

“No, that’s not– I don’t mind being called Kara,” Kara said, surprised. “It’s my name.” Kara looked to Lena and then to her hands. “Kara Zor-El,” she said softly.

“Zor-El,” Lena said, looking up from her breakfast as she took a bite of eggs. Her brow knit and she covered her mouth as she chewed. “Your father’s name?”

“And mine. Kara Zor-El was my name on Krypton,” Kara said.

“Oh,” Lena said as she swallowed, slowly putting down her fork. 

“Daughter’s names include their father’s, son’s their house.”

“And you are House of El.”

Kara nodded. Lena sensed that things were getting heavy, so she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin and changed the subject. “Did Krypton have space travel? I mean, I know about the pod–“

“Yes,” Kara answered. “But only local systems.”

“Did you visit any other planets?” Lena asked. 

“Yes, with my father. 12—well, 13, if including this one.”

“Impressive,” Lena said with a smile. They slipped into comfortable silence.

“Aren’t you going to ask you which was my favorite?” Kara asked.

“No,” Lena replied. 

“Everyone else does.”

“That seems rude,” Lena answered.

“Why?” Kara asked before clueing in. “Because you assume my answer will be Krypton, and mentioning it would be painful,” Kara inferred. Lena nodded. “My favorite is actually Earth.”

“Really,” Lena said, her voice heavy with skepticism. 

“Really,” Kara said with a slight smile. “I couldn’t fly on Krypton. There were no, birds or potstickers.”

“But.” Lena stopped. Kara silently urged her to continue. “Your family…”

“Yes.” Kara briefly looked to her hands. “Of course, I wish Krypton wasn’t destroyed. But… I have family here, too,” she said softly. She met Lena’s eye. “I can’t imagine my life without being Supergirl. Without Alex or–” She stopped, her gaze momentarily dipping. “Red sun is overrated.”

Lena watched Kara closely. “It had some advantages, I’m sure.”

“Not enough to give up flyin’,” Kara said, taking another big bite of pancakes. She spoke when she was finished chewing. “So what are you working on in Star City?”

“Do you know anything about quantum entanglement?” Lena asked.

“A lot, actually,” Kara replied and Lena laughed, caught off guard by Kara’s answer. 

“Of course you would. I keep expecting your answers to be–“

“From accidental journalist Kara Danvers?”

Lena smiled. “L-Corp is building a machine that will one day, hopefully, transfer matter via energy. Set up a portal in National City and a portal someplace experiencing famine and–“

“Instantly transport food and goods,” Kara finished.

Lena nodded, pleased. She picked at her brunch. “Did, Krypton have anything like…”

“Yes,” Kara replied. “I think my great-great grandfather helped invent it.”

“So science runs in the family,” Lena said, arching her brows. “Would you have been a scientist?”

“Probably,” Kara said. “I used to help my father when he worked. But when I was a little girl I wanted to be a judicator like my mother.”

Lena nodded. “You would have been good at it.”

“No,” Kara said with a soft shake of her head. “My mother was rigid, she couldn’t deviate from the law even when the law meant bad things would happen. I don’t think I could do that.”

“No, I don’t think you could,” Lena agreed fondly. She picked up her coffee cup and held it up to Kara as a toast. “To rigidly ideological mothers.” Kara laughed and held up her own cup, and they gently clinked them together. “Something we have in common,” Lena said before taking a sip and watching Kara do the same. “What will you do now that you’re not working at CatCo?” Lena asked, putting the coffee cup back on the table. 

“Help people,” Kara answered. 

“For money,” Lena clarified.

Kara looked to her hands and then back up, her cheeks flush. “That’s sort of a, personal question.”

Lena blushed as she looked away. “You’re right. I overstepped, I’m sorry.” 

Kara nodded and shifted in her seat, pushing at her glasses again. “Do you like Star City?”

Lena cautiously sipped from a glass of water and put it back on the table. That could be perceived as a personal question, as well. “I do,” she answered. “It’s nice to be back in the lab.”

“Do you live in town, or…” When Lena didn’t immediately reply, Kara’s mouth sputtered open and closed like a fish as she realized her hypocrisy. “I’m sorry, you don’t have to–“

“I live in an apartment downtown,” Lena replied. “It’s…” she trailed off. “My assistant did a good job with the furniture and art, but I don’t spend much time there.”

Kara’s stomach hardened. Where was Lena spending her time if not at home? “Do you have friends?” she asked cautiously.

“No,” Lena replied. “I spend almost all of my time at L-Corp.” She glanced at Kara. “Though a few friends from my university days have dropped by when in town for conferences.”

“Oh,” Kara said. She had never met Lena’s friends from Metropolis, never met anyone special to Lena other than people she respected at L-Corp in National City. “Well that’s nice.”

Lena nodded, a wry smile on her face. “Until they put your picture in the paper with a college acquainence and try to imply it’s something more.” She looked up and met Kara’s eye.

“Oh,” Kara said, her eyes going wide. She swallowed a smile and affected a frown. “That, that would be annoying.” 

Lena nodded, a smile growing on her lips. “Hey, do you remember that one time we went for lunch and you insisted I skip out on my afternoon meetings for that old movie revival over on Fifth, and we had to exit out the back because you swore there was a guy with a camera?”

Kara nodded. Of course she did. It was just after they’d started dating and it was thrilling to know Lena Luthor would blow off work to sit in a dark movie theater and hold her hand.

“I miss doing those kinds of things with you.”

“I’m sure there are people in Star City who would love to go to the movies with you.”

“No,” Lena replied. “I miss doing those things, with you.”

“With Kara Danvers.”

“Kara Danvers was who you wanted me to think you were,” Lena reminded.

“It was an illusion,” Kara said, shaking her head and pushing up her glasses with the edge of her palm.

“Supergirl is an illusion,” Lena countered, and Kara looked to Lena with surprise. “She’s not real,” Lena said, shaking her head. “She’s an avatar for what the world wants from a hero.”

Kara frowned. “Then I’m not real,” she said stung, shrugging her shoulders. 

“That’s not true,” Lena said, leaning forward, her brow knitting. Kara looked to her and met her eye. “I’ve had too many real moments with you for that to be true.”

Kara’s brow deeply furrowed and she pressed her lips together. 

Lena sighed. “When was the last time you felt real?” 

Kara could picture the moment clearly. A kiss, just inside her doorstep, the night Lena ended things. Kara cleared her throat and shrugged. “A long time ago.”

Lena nodded, letting Kara have that. Lena rubbed her thumb along the edge of her fork. “The other day you said our breakup made you feel more alone than you’d felt before. How?”

Kara fiddled with her watch. “Alex doubted me,” she finally said. “My judgement, my feelings. She’d been my rock for so long…” Kara sighed. “After we broke up, she wanted me to go back to being the person I was before we got together and, I, I can’t do that because I don’t recognize that person anymore.”

Lena paused, her fingers absently folding the edge of her cloth napkin. “Is it okay if I say that I do?” 

“Lena…”

“You told me those glasses show people what you want them to see. I see Kara Danvers.” Kara sighed. “You can call me selfish, but I don’t want you to give her up. She’s too important and.” Lena briefly held her breath. “I loved Kara Danvers, the, plucky reporter who would bring me donuts and insist I skip late night investor calls to play board games.”

Kara swallowed hard and nodded her head. “Then why did you leave her?”

Lena looked down and pursed her lips, her face flushed scarlet. She could feel Kara’s eyes on her but she couldn’t bring herself to look up and meet them. Lena reached for her water when she caught out of the corner of her eye Kara suddenly looked down at her lap. “What’s wrong,” Lena said, putting the glass of water back down on the table, concern etched on her features at the tight, worried look on Kara’s face. 

“Nothing,” Kara said, smiling and fixing her glasses. The smile quickly faded and she pressed her lips together, concentrating.

“Kara,” Lena led. 

“There’s uh, there’s someone in trouble on the other side of town,” Kara said, stiffly. 

“Do you need to go?” Lena asked. 

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head, her eyes downcast, her brow knit. “I.” She smiled, embarrassed. “This is the sort of thing I used to let the police handle.” 

Lena watched as Kara grew more uncomfortable. “But now?”

Kara looked up and met Lena’s eye. “It’s hard to let it go when I know I can help.”

Lena nodded. 

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. She stood up and reached for her wallet. 

“No, it’s OK, I’ve got it,” Lena assured, holding her hand up over the table. 

“Are you sure?” Kara asked, her hand still on her wallet.

“I’m sure,” Lena said, endeared.

“Thank you,” Kara said before she abruptly left. She disappeared from the restaurant and then there was a woosh and Supergirl shot across the sky. 

Lena watched, a faraway look in her eye, and then noticed Agent Hoyer step out of a black SUV across the street. She sighed and signaled to the waiter that she wanted her check. She then signaled to Agent Hoyer that she’d be ready as soon as she paid, and she indulged herself in a final sip of her now cool coffee.


	8. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’re not finished,” Kara said, the lab door closing behind her.
> 
> “I am really not in the mood right now,” Lena said, walking deeper into the room toward her desk in the corner.
> 
> “Well too bad,” Kara said, following her. “Because I’m not leaving here until we talk, about everything.”

Alex put the tablet down on the table and walked away, her hand rubbing at her forehead. “Where is Rikker?” she growled, frustrated. She turned and faced J’onn. “How does he just disappear?”

“Maybe it’s time we let James Olson know we’re looking for him, see what that brings,” J’onn said from his seat at the table.

“What, like a public statement?”

“I was thinking more along the lines of letting Lois Lane have a shot at finding him,” J’onn said, arching his brows.

“Lois Lane,” Alex replied, deadpan. 

“She has well-connected sources in the Luthor criminal network. She may be able to find something.”

“Great,” Alex said, bringing her hands up and then letting them drop against her thighs with a clap. “The DEO can’t find him but a reporter from the Daily Planet will.”

“Alex,” J’onn said, cocking his head. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Alex said, rolling her shoulders.

“I’m psychic,” J’onn said. “‘Nothing’ is not the right answer.”

Alex paused and considered her words. “There’s just a lot going on right now.”

“With Kara,” J’onn led.

“And at home,” Alex reluctantly added, pinching her lips together. 

J’onn frowned. Alex nodded her head and shrugged, sensing that he got the gist of her angst. His voice was kind. “Do you need to take some time–“

“No,” Alex exhaled, shaking her head. She looked at him, her features falling. “I don’t know that time can fix this problem.”

J’onn nodded, understanding. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Alex said softly. She paused. “If you think Lois Lane can help, we might as well try, because right now…”

“I’ll make the call,” he said, standing. 

“You’ll want to call Lucy as well,” Alex said. “Give her a head’s up that the DEO is asking for Lois’s help.”

J’onn nodded. “A call that I’m sure will go well.” Alex smiled at his sarcasm. He looked at her for a long moment. “Are you sure you don’t need to take some time?”

“I need Rikker arrested,” Alex said. 

J’onn nodded. “Then let’s get the word out.”

*********************

Lena looked up at the soft knock on the lab door and smiled as the door opened and Kara entered. “Hi.”

“Winn said you needed to see me?” Kara asked, walking into the lab.

“Is everything OK? You rushed off this morning and–“

“The woman was fine, the National City Police were able to help.”

Lena nodded, smiling softly. “Well, that’s good to hear.” When Kara didn’t reply, Lena spoke quickly. “Thank you, again, for taking me out this morning.” She ran the words back in her mind and shook her head, a blush erupting across her cheeks. “I mean–”

“You’re welcome,” Kara interrupted. She shifted her weight awkwardly. “Is that what you needed to see me about?“

“No, I–“ Lena stopped. Kara seemed standoffish and tense. Lena stammered as she started to speak, her eyes dropping to the ground and then up, a modest smile pulling at her lips. “I was wondering if you could help me with something. I tried to go through Alex, but I’m not getting anywhere.”

“OK,” Kara said warily.

“I want to see the schematics that were recovered from my mother’s lackies for Lex’s Warsuit.”

“Oh,” Kara said, surprised by the request.

“The government and Superman seized a lot of Lex’s designs when he was arrested, however LuthorCorp’s legal team managed to get most of them back, and when I took over L-Corp I studied his original suit front to back. I know everything about it. I think if I saw the new schematics I’d be able to tell what modifications he made, and whether they’d give anything away about his plan with Rikker.”

“And Alex doesn’t want you to have them?” Kara asked, her brows drawing together.

“She said it wasn’t her decision, that it would be up to her boss,” Lena explained.

Kara considered the request. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thank you.”

Kara briefly paused. “I’m sorry Alex doesn’t trust you like I do.”

Lena smirked. “Nobody has ever trusted me like you do, not even my own family.” Lena paused, sheepish. “‘Trusting Lena Luthor as much as Kara Zor-El is an impossibly high bar.”

“Maybe,” Kara said sadly. “But I still wish it wasn’t this way.”

“I know,” Lena said, sharing a meaningful look with Kara.

“You should really stop calling her Agent Danvers, it drives her insane.”

“Noted,” Lena said with a smile. 

“Anything else?” Kara asked.

Lena paused. “How did you know what I…” She met Kara’s eye. “How did you know, yesterday, what I needed to hear when my mother was arrested?”

Kara’s look softened. “I know you. You’re so hard on yourself…” She shrugged.

Lena exhaled and momentarily ducked her head. “Did you know that my mother put a chip in her head?” Kara nodded. “She said it was to block aliens from reading her mind.” Lena smiled, embarrassed. “Can you imagine?” 

Kara’s reluctant reply surprised her. “I actually can.”

“You can?” 

“There are aliens, and meta humans, who have psychic abilities,” Kara explained.

“Oh,” Lena said, obviously rattled. “But, not in the DEO.”

“In the DEO,” Kara confirmed softly. 

“Oh,” Lena said. She clasped her hands together, clearly disquieted by the information. 

“But, you don’t need to worry,” Kara said, taking a half step forward. “I told the person here who can do that that your mind was off-limits and that if they read your thoughts without your permission, I would quit the DEO.”

“Are you serious?” Lena asked and Kara nodded. Lena stared. “Why would you do that?”

“Because…” Kara took a deep breath. “You were important to me when I made them promise, and, I see no reason why their promise should change just because we’re not together anymore.”

Lena swallowed around the emotion rising in her throat. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Kara said. Lena looked at her with an open, trusting gaze and Kara shifted her balance. “I should go.”

“Right,” Lena said, clearing her throat. “Of course. You’re probably insanely busy.”

“Something like that,” Kara said quietly. They shared another long look and Kara left with a slight wave. Lena watched her go, her brow furrowing. She turned back to her device and sighed. 

*********************

Kara entered the bullpen, her stride purposeful as she started to cross the large room. Alex spotted her and flagged her down, jogging to her side. Kara slowed to a stop and Alex smiled as they stopped near the stairs. “So, how was it?”

“What?” Kara asked, pulled from her thoughts to reply.

“Brunch,” Alex led.

“Fine,” Kara said. “The pancakes were a little small so I had to have two orders, but–“

“I meant with Lena,” Alex interrupted.

Kara tensed. “Fine.”

“I noticed she came back with Agent Hoyer.”

“I needed to leave a little early to help someone in trouble.”

Alex’s brow wrinkled. “Is everything OK?”

“Yup, I got it straightened out.”

Alex nodded. She gave Kara a close look and then raised a sympathetic eyebrow. “That was like three hours ago.”

“I had to check on some things in Central City, too.”

Alex nodded. “So, Lena–“

“Had Eggs Benedict, loves living in Star City, and tried to convince me to go back to being Kara Danvers.”

“She did?” Alex asked, eyebrows arching in surprise.

Kara’s eyes narrowed. “Like you didn’t know she would.”

“I didn’t,” Alex said, her eyebrows rising further.

“You didn’t plan it with her?” Kara asked.

Alex rolled her eyes. “Lena and I can’t even plan a birthday party together.”

Kara did a double take, then paused, considering her next words. “She said she made a mistake about us not being friends.”

“Oh,” Alex said, crossing her arms. “Well, that feels big, right?”

Kara shrugged. “She’s still going back to Star City when this is over.”

“Did she say that?”

“She doesn’t have to,” Kara said, looking at Alex critically. “That’s where her life is now.” 

Alex nodded. When Kara just continued to study her, Alex said, “Maybe that’s not a bad thing. Some distance can’t hurt after everything that happened.”

Kara flexed her jaw. She knew exactly how much the distance hurt. “I have to go.”

“Kara,” Alex said, starting to follow her as Kara took to the stairs.

“Let me know if anything comes up with Rikker,” Kara said over her shoulder, and she flew out the open window. 

Alex stood there, alone. “I was wondering if we could talk,” she said quietly to herself. She shifted her weight and then returned to the bullpen.

*********************

“Ms. Luthor?” Lena looked up at the DEO agent standing just inside the lab door. “Delivery from Agent Schott.”

She stood and crossed to him, a smile on her lips. “Thank you, Tony, is it?”

“Yes,” he said, smiling. He handed the drive to Lena. “Agent Schott said to let him know if you have any questions.”

“I will, thank you.” She watched the agent leave and then plugged the drive into her computer. She smiled as she saw the drive’s contents. 

*********************

Alex sighed and looked up at the knock on her lab door. Maggie stood next to the door jamb with a brown bag in her arms. “Hey,” Alex said, her brow crumpling as Maggie walked into the lab. She put the bag down on a steel counter.

“I brought you lunch,” Maggie said cautiously. “I wasn’t sure you would make it home tonight and I thought we could talk while we eat.”

“I’m working,” Alex said.

“I can wait until you have a break,” Maggie replied, pointing to a stool along the edge of the lab.

Alex exhaled, clearly frustrated. 

Maggie sighed and walked closer to Alex. “I have to let my boss know my answer about the job offer by tomorrow morning, Alex,” she said patiently. “And I’m not going to make that decision without you.” Alex was silent and Maggie slowly exhaled. “I won’t take it if you don’t want me to.”

“I’m not going to tell you not to take it,” Alex said quietly, repeating the words she’d said the night before.

Maggie nodded. “You’re just going to be mad at me if I do take it.”

“No,” Alex said. She exhaled and put her hands on her hips. “Maybe.” Maggie rolled her eyes. “It splits time with Coast City, you’ll be gone weeks at a time.”

“Coast City is only two hours away,” Maggie said, smiling.

“And we already both work ridiculous hours,” Alex said. “That two hours is going to feel like more, very fast.”

“We’ll make it work,” Maggie said, putting her hands on Alex’s forearms. “It’s only two years and it’s an amazing career opportunity.”

“And I get that,” Alex said as patiently as her frayed nerves could handle. “But life shouldn’t just be about our careers.” Alex exhaled sharply. “And I’m sorry, but lately it feels like I’m the one that’s giving everything up to make this relationship work.”

“Giving things up?” Maggie asked, dropping her hands. “I am nothing but supportive of your work–“

“I know–“

“Your responsibility to your sister–“

“I know–“

“Everything so far–“

“Not everything,” Alex interrupted, her face sad. “Not kids.”

Maggie tensed and they stared at each other for a long minute. “I can’t, make, myself want kids,” Maggie said, her voice emotional.

Alex pursed her lips and nodded. “And I thought I could make myself not want them for you, but I’m starting to think that’s not the case,” she said, tears starting to sting her eyes. 

Maggie’s brow knit and she smiled, ruefully. “Ever since you met with that woman from L-Corp–“

“Oh my god,” Alex said, shaking her head and turning her back on Maggie.

“You’ve been distant all week,” Maggie said. Alex turned around and met her eye. “I’m not jealous, I just.” She quirked her lips. “Maybe we moved too fast,” Maggie said. “Maybe you needed more time to, to think about what you wanted from a partner–”

“Or,” Alex interrupted, her voice cracking. “Maybe I love you, and this doesn’t have to do with anything other than the distance between me and Kara finally getting to me, and me realizing how important family is and how much I want more of it.”

“I want to be your family, Alex,” Maggie said. “Why can’t that be enough? Why can’t I be enough?”

Both women looked to the door at the friendly knock against the glass. Alex wiped at her eyes before turning. “What?” she called, Winn opening the door and sticking his head in.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,“ he said, wincing.

“What do you want, Winn,” Alex said, swallowing around the lump in her throat. 

“Lena says she needs more server space. Should I give it to her?”

“What– Why does she need more?” Alex asked, confused. “You told me she had plenty for the device.”

“This isn’t for the device,” Winn answered.

“Then what is it for?” Alex asked, clearly frustrated. 

“The other thing,” Winn said. Alex arched her brows and Winn looked to Maggie and then back to Alex. “The other, thing.”

“Winn,” Alex growled.

“The suit.”

“The what,” Alex ground out.

*********************

Lena looked up to see an angry Alex striding into the lab. “You went around me to _Kara_ to get the Warsuit?”

“You wouldn’t give it to me,” Lena replied cooly, putting the pieces of the device she was working on down on the table. 

“So you used _Kara_ to get it when I said no?”

“I didn’t use anyone,” Lena said sharply, her brow quirking. “Nobody outside of Lex knows the Warsuit better than me. I studied it extensively, I can help.”

“You are here to work on this device,” Alex said, pointing to the device on the table.

“And I am.”

“Are you? It still doesn’t work.”

“I’m working on the device as hard as I can,” Lena said, standing and moving to her computer. “It’s not exactly easy.”

“Why not?” Alex said, following her. “You tell everyone all the time what a genius you are.”

“A little gratitude wouldn’t hurt.”

“Oh I’m sorry, am I not kissing your ass enough?”

Lena turned and pulled herself to her full height. “You know Alex, I don’t have to be here, and neither does this device. It’s my intellectual property, it hasn’t been used in the commission of a crime, and best I can tell you seized it during an illegal raid on one of my properties. All I need to do is call my lawyers and this device would be in my Star City lab by dinner.”

“Are you threatening me?” Alex said, stepping forward. 

“You’re the one accusing people of things,” Lena said snidely. 

“What are you doing with Kara.”

Lena’s expression turned severe. “That’s none of your business.”

“But it is. You made it my business when you dumped her, moved away and expected me to fix it.”

“And what a great job you did,” Lena said. “She only quit her job and turned away from her humanity.”

“And that’s my fault?”

“Maybe if you had been there for her instead of trying to force her to be who you wanted her to be–”

“You don’t know what I did,” Alex said, her brow crumpling in anger. “Because you weren’t here. You were off in Star City doing god knows what.”

“I was working, Alex,” Lena said coldly.

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“You know, James said that maybe Lex was moved to Belle Reve to get him away from major investigative news rooms and their scrutiny. Maybe you moved to Star City to get away from Supergirl and the DEO.”

“I’m human, the DEO has no reason to be interested in me.”

“Unless you’re also behind the attacks.”

“What motive could I possibly have for being behind these attacks?” Lena asked. “I obviously don’t share my brother’s anti-alien agenda.”

“Lex’s obsession with killing Superman was a bug, not a feature, of LuthorCorp’s world domination plans,” Alex said. “When Lex went mad, when you had to rebrand your company because the Luthor name became radioactive, you lost a lot of money and power.”

“I still have plenty of both.”

“But not as much as you might want. Your profile went up after the second attack.”

“You think I’d fake attacks against myself, possibly hurt innocent people, so that I can have even more money and power?” Lena said with venom in her voice. “I have more money than what I know what to do with millions of times over.”

“But do your investors?”

“Disgusting,” Lena said. “Your picture of who you think I am is disgusting. And that you think Kara could have loved someone like the person you just described…” Lena shook her head. “If you don’t leave this lab I will, and I sure as hell won’t come back if I do.”

Alex sneered and took a step forward; she opened her mouth to speak and then stopped suddenly. She cocked her head and pressed her hand to her ear. “Kara,” Alex said, obviously speaking over her comm. Lena opened her mouth to speak and Alex held up a finger to silence her. “Kara, we don’t have back up in Star City,” she said, her body rigid as she listened. “You need to get out of there.” 

“What’s happening?” Lena asked, her heart suddenly in her throat.

Alex ignored Lena. “Kara,” she said, her voice more urgent. “Supergirl!” Alex barked. She sighed, frustrated, and then turned and gave Lena an angry look. “Stay here and figure this out,” Alex said through gritted teeth, looking from the machine and then to Lena. Alex strode out with purpose and Lena stared at her as she went, tears stinging her eyes. 

*********************

Alex walked into the DEO bullpen to find Maggie standing near Winn’s empty terminal. “You’re still here,” Alex said cautiously.

“We didn’t finish our conversation,” Maggie said, walking to Alex’s side by the circular center console. “Kara just came in.”

“Is she OK?” Alex asked without meeting Maggie’s eye.

“She’s banged up, but OK,” Maggie assured.

“Where is she?” Alex asked.

“The sunbed,” Maggie answered.

“What’s the sunbed?” a voice asked and they turned to see Lena standing behind them, her face ashen.

“Classified,” Alex said, crossing her arms and facing Lena. 

Maggie shot Alex a look before turning to face Lena. “It’s a device with concentrated solar waves that simulates yellow sunlight to help Kara heal.”

Alex deflated a little, still angry, but now not sure if it was with Lena or Maggie.

“Heal?” Lena said, panicked, taking another step closer. “Is she hurt?”

“Nothing permanent, it looked cosmetic,” Maggie answered. When Lena didn’t look reassured, Maggie smiled. “Supergirl can’t walk around with scrapped knuckles or bruised eyes.”

Lena swallowed hard and nodded her head. 

“I have to go,” Alex muttered and left without meeting Maggie’s eye. Maggie smirked, angry to be blown off.

“Can I see it?”

Maggie shifted gears and looked to Lena. “The sunbed?” 

Lena nodded. 

“If Kara wants you to see it, she’ll show it to you,” Maggie answered. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s.” Lena stopped. “Thank you for telling me. If it were up to Alex I wouldn’t know anything.”

“Family is everything to Alex,” Maggie said, her brow knitting with each word. “She’s just doing what she thinks is best to protect Kara.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. She smiled weakly at Maggie and exited the bullpen.

*********************

Kara pulled her oversized cardigan closed across her chest as she walked down the DEO hallway. Her hair was still damp from the shower that had mercifully washed away the layer of dust she had accumulated in Star City fighting gun smugglers. Winn had insisted on making sure her suit was fine, so she was stuck at the DEO for a half an hour or more as he ran his tests. She was just grateful she had left a comfy change of clothes in Alex’s locker. She couldn’t imagine caring enough to bother with her usual button downs right now. 

She had been lucky that the alien weapon had jammed after the first blast. Where the smugglers had acquired the tech was anyone’s guess. She huffed as she turned the corner, frustrated that she had forgotten her book by the sunbed. She just wanted to find a comfortable couch in a corner and check out until her suit was ready and she could leave. Everything with Alex and Lena had her mind in a jumble. Kara entered the room and stopped short at the sight of the figure standing next to the sunbed, staring at it. “Lena?” 

Lena turned, caught off guard, before quickly turning back to face the sunbed. Her hands rested gently on its edge, her lips pressed into a tight line. Seeing Kara dressed as anything other than a nearly invincible superhero in that moment was affecting. Lena closed her eyes and then opened them, taking in a deep, bracing breath.

“What are you doing in here?” Kara asked carefully.

“I know I’m not supposed to be anywhere but the lab or my suite, but Maggie told me what this place was and… I walked down seven hallways until I found it,” Lena said, her voice emotional. She paused for a moment then cleared her throat. “The power output can be improved if the connector is moved from the center to a side panel.”

Kara watched her closely. “I’ll tell Winn.”

“How did you get hurt?” Lena asked, her back still to Kara.

“Uh, a gang was smuggling guns in Star City,” Kara said, twisting her hands in front of her. She felt awkward and vulnerable. “I got a cut on my forehead from a car,” she said, being intentionally vague about the car that hit her full speed and threw her to the pavement after she was shot with a blast from the alien gun. She pushed a small smile to her lips. “All better now.”

Lena nodded, her back still to Kara. “It must be terrifying for you. To get hurt.”

“It doesn’t feel great,” Kara admitted softly.

Lena exhaled at Kara’s modest reply. “I had no idea this existed,” Lena murmured, emotion thick in her voice. “I’m so naïve; I thought you healed naturally. A superpower.”

“I do,” Kara said, taking a couple of steps forward until she could see Lena’s profile. “With the light of the yellow sun. It just takes time. This speeds things up a bit.”

Lena nodded. “I should get back to the lab.” She turned, head down, and started for the door.

“Lena,” Kara said, taking a step in the same direction. Lena stopped and looked up, meeting Kara’s eye. “I wanted to tell you. About all of this.”

“It’s OK,” Lena said, pressing her lips together stoically. “I understand why you didn’t.”

“Do you? Because I don’t,” Kara said. She paused. “I never should have listened to Alex.”

“She was trying to protect you–“

“I don’t need to be protected. By anyone,” Kara said heatedly. She paused. “I should have told you as soon as I knew how I felt about you,” she said. She looked to Lena. “Maybe it would have changed things.”

Lena shook her head sadly. “I’d still be a Luthor.”

“I don’t care about your family,” Kara said, tired that she still had to say it.

“They care,” Lena said. “If Lex ever found out who you are, what you mean to me…”

Kara’s head snapped up at that. Lena said mean, not meant. “Your family can’t hurt me,” Kara said, taking a step forward.

“Hurting people is what Luthors do best,” Lena said. “I have to go.”

“Lena.”

Lena brushed past Kara, the door to the room shutting after her. Kara stood still for a moment. She looked to the side table and the book she had returned to collect and she could feel it, seeping into her bones. The anger she felt with herself for not fighting for Lena when they broke up. The feeling that if she had just, tried… She got more and more upset as she stood there, as she heard Lena’s racing heartbeat and heels rushing into the lab, the heavy door closing behind her. Kara balled her hands into fists and left the room. Once in the hallway she ran as fast as she could. 

*********************

Kara rushed into the lab and Lena looked up, her mouth drawn as the blur stopped several feet from her. 

“We’re not finished,” Kara said, the lab door closing behind her.

“I am really not in the mood right now,” Lena said, walking deeper into the room toward her desk in the corner.

“Well too bad,” Kara said, following her. “Because I’m not leaving here until we talk, about everything.”

Lena stopped and cocked her head. “You have better things to do. There’s a madman on the loose–“

“I asked you at brunch why you left me and you didn’t say anything. Just, talk to me. Please.”

“Fine,” Lena said, challenging Kara. “You think I broke up with you because the second attack on L-Corp scared me.” 

“Yes,” Kara said.

“It did a lot more than that,” Lena said. “My brother almost killed the person I loved most in the world and in that moment, it felt like something inside of me changed. That the Luthor part of me that I had tried so hard to deny was clawing to the forefront.” 

“It’s normal to feel hurt, and betrayed, to want justice when wronged–“

“It wasn’t justice that I wanted, Kara, it was vengeance,” Lena snapped. “I want my mother and brother to blink out of existence and I will do anything to keep them from the world.”

Kara stared at Lena. She’d never seen her so intense.

“I felt it after the first attack, a spark of it, but I pushed it aside,” Lena continued, swallowing hard. “I was so stupidly in love with you and I just, put my head in the sand. I thought because I had you that everything would be OK.” She shook her head. “And then the second attack. They attacked you, Kara.”

“And I was fine.”

“Because my brother didn’t know that you were Supergirl. What happens when he knows?”

“Then I’ll deal with it.”

“You’re too cavalier.”

“I’m the Girl of Steel.”

“You’re not invincible!” Lena cried. “The sunbed says as much. And you keep reminding me that you’re Supergirl as if it should be reassuring, but it makes my thoughts a million times worse.”

“How?”

“Because I’m not good,” Lena said, incredulously. “A Luthor and a Super–“

“No,” Kara interrupted. “You and me.”

Lena tried to return to calm. “After that second attack, I wanted to kill my brother. I still do.” Lena clenched her jaw. “I left National City to protect you.” 

“Your family can’t hurt me–“

“Not from my family, Kara, from me.” 

Kara stared, surprised.

“I don't know what will happen to me, who I'll become, if something truly bad happens,” Lena said. 

“I do,” Kara said. She followed Lena’s eyes. “You won’t turn into Lex. You helped the DEO capture Lillian. And before that you changed the Medusa virus, you made it inert. I trust you–”

“Yesterday you asked me if I was behind the attacks.”

“Not because I think you’re evil,” Kara said. “Lena, I don’t always agree with your methods but your intentions are good. You are good.” 

“You know it doesn’t matter?” Lena smirked. “As long as I’m around, you and everyone you love is in danger.”

“That’s true whether we’re together or not,” Kara said. “Everyone I love is in danger constantly. Alex, Winn, James–“

“James?”

“It’s a long story,” Kara said, rubbing her forehead before dropping her hand to her side. “Lena, if anything I put you at risk because of who I am.” Lena swallowed hard and Kara took another step closer. She stared at Lena for a long moment. “I know you miss me, Lena.” Kara’s voice softened when Lena didn’t deny it. “You keep trying to find ways to spend time with me since you’ve been here.” Lena rolled her eyes but Kara plowed on. “And I think you’re doing that because you still love me, too.”

“Do I?” Lena asked, tears stinging her eyes. Her stomach twisted when Kara visibly recoiled. “I admired Supergirl, but I wasn't in love with her. I was in love with Kara Danvers, and you've spent the last few days telling me that she doesn't exist.” 

“I.” Kara stopped. She didn’t know what to say.

“All those people in Central City, Opal City, who rely on you now. Are you really telling me you could go back to being CatCo’s Kara Danvers to win me back?“

“Would I have to?” Kara asked, her brow knit. “I love you. Whatever you want to call me—Kara Danvers, Supergirl, Kara Zor-El—I love you. And I will always have room for you in my life because you are the person that makes me happiest to be on Earth.” She paused as she collected her thoughts. “I understand that you’re afraid of hurting me,” she said and Lena scoffed. “But you told me once that you can't live in fear.“

“Because I didn't understand real fear until I had something to be afraid of losing.”

“You won’t lose me,” Kara said softly.

“You can’t promise that,” Lena said, her words a warning.

“No, I can’t,” Kara admitted. “But nobody in this world can. I love you. And, I may not have the glasses but. Don’t you see, her, in me?”

Lena couldn’t look her in the eye. “More than I want to.”

“Lena,” Kara said, walking closer. She stopped inches away. “Lena, please–“

It happened before the plea was fully out of Kara’s mouth. Lena stepped forward and kissed Kara hard, Kara’s sweater wrapped in her clenched fists. Kara immediately broke the kiss and took a step back, away from Lena, Kara’s head tilted down and her eyes on the floor. They stood close, each breathing hard. Lena was about to speak, to beg, to apologize into Kara’s hair, when Kara stepped forward, raised her head and kissed her. Kara’s kiss was soft, exceedingly tender, the opposite of the desperate kiss Lena had offered and Lena melted. Her hands relaxed, letting go of Kara’s sweater. She rested her palms flat on Kara’s collarbones and Kara’s kisses grew firmer, more fervent. Her hands gripped Lena’s hips and it clicked in Lena’s mind that Kara had needed a momentary pause to make sure she could regulate her strength. The thought sent a jolt straight between her legs.

Kara pulled Lena close, her leg slipping between Lena’s, and Lena’s skirt raised, though not enough for either woman. They brushed their hips together, Kara’s fingers tightening her hold on Lena’s waist before she let go and her right hand moved up to cup Lena’s breast. Lena gasped, her hips once again brushing forward and Kara kissed her jaw, her hips pushing forward urgently. Lena dropped her hands and hiked her skirt higher, Kara’s leg slipping between her legs more firmly and Lena gasped when Kara’s thigh connected with her center. Lena rubbed into Kara’s thigh shamelessly and groaned into her mouth as Kara kissed her again, swallowing the sound.

Kara’s hands slipped to Lena’s thighs, dancing along the bunched hem of Lena’s skirt, her fingertips dancing over Lena’s skin and Lena’s hips jolted. She loved the feel of Kara’s fingers pressing into her skin, gentle yet full of intent. Kara pushed the skirt a little higher, her fingertips now tracing along the edge of Lena’s silk underwear along her ass and Lena ground into her again. Lena broke their kiss, her voice breathy as she spoke. “Take them off.”

It was both a challenge and an offer of trust, and Lena gasped with surprise when Kara took a deep breath, hooked her fingers under the fabric and dragged Lena’s underwear down her legs. Lena stepped out of her heels and watched as Kara pulled the underwear past her feet, still suprised that Kara was being so bold. Kara dropped the underwear on the floor, and ran her hands back up Lena’s legs. When she got to her thighs she gripped and picked Lena up, sitting her on the counter near the corner desk. Lena squeaked with surprised at the action, at the cold steel against her bare skin, and then groaned as Kara pushed her legs apart and put her face between her thighs, Kara’s tongue reaching out and running the length of her. 

Lena looked down to her lap, her skirt now bunched around her waist, her legs resting on Kara’s shoulders, and her mouth dropped open. She felt her stomach twist with desire at the sight of Kara’s head between her legs. Lena’s eyes fluttered closed with pleasure as Kara’s tongue ran the length of her again and Lena’s hands grabbed for purchase, one on the countertop to her left and the other on the cabinet by her head. 

“Oh god,” Lena gasped as she opened her eyes and again looked down at Kara. Kara had gone down on her once before, but it had been slow and almost painfully tentative. This was not tentative. Kara was licking her like she had promised herself that if she’d ever had the chance again she would make the most of it. 

Lena screwed her eyes closed. She couldn’t thrust her hips, the angle was awkward and Kara was holding her tight, but it didn’t matter because the sound of her own panting breath was quickly pushing her to the edge. There wasn’t any use in fighting it, of trying to prolongue the encounter; Kara’s mouth, her tongue, were too insistent and Lena wanted her rapidly approaching release too much. Lena opened her eyes and looked down and gasped to find Kara looking up at her, her gaze hot and intense. Lena dropped her right hand from where it clumsily grasped the edge of the cabinet to the side of Kara’s face and then back to her hair. Kara swirled her tongue over her clit and Lena’s eyes practically rolled back in her head as her fingers tightened in Kara’s hair. Several pants later, Kara’s tongue performing witchcraft, Lena came, her back arched and her breath stolen, her mouth open in a wordless gasp.

Lena gently pressed against Kara’s head with her hand to let her know to stop as her orgasm subsided and Kara gently removed her mouth from between Lena’s legs. She placed a soft kiss to the inside of Lena’s thigh, and Lena’s hand lazily stroked the side of Kara’s head as she came back to herself. They took a moment to catch their breaths, Kara’s hands still lightly gripping Lena’s hips, and when Lena finally looked down at Kara, her brow knit. Kara’s gaze was trained on the floor, her frame tense. Lena gently stroked Kara’s hair, expecting Kara to look up and meet her eye, but instead Kara let go of Lena’s hips and righted herself in one swift movement. Lena startled and Kara stepped back, her eyes wildly looking anywhere but at Lena and Lena’s own eyes went wide as she realized Kara was about to bolt. Lena gracelessly hopped down from the counter, and after a couple of awkward tugs at her skirt, she put her hands on a flustered, fleeing Kara.

“No, no, no,” Lena said quickly, her left hand going to Kara’s neck, her right to Kara’s waist to stop her stumbled steps backward. She pulled herself flush against Kara’s body, the act stilling Kara’s restless movements. Lena placed her lips on Kara’s neck and kissed her. “Let me,” she said gently into Kara’s ear before kissing her neck again. “Let me.”

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Kara said, thick and afraid, and Lena gently caressed Kara’s neck as she nipped at the other side with her lips. 

“You won’t. You didn’t just now.” She squeezed Kara’s hip with her right hand. “Let me.” She slid her right hand forward and slipped it between their bodies, between Kara’s legs before gently pressing up through her sweats. “Let me.”

Kara let loose a ragged breath and after a half second, awkwardly stepped forward, moving them back until she pressed Lena against the counter she had just sat on. Kara gripped the edge of the counter and Lena smiled into Kara’s neck. Lena slid her hand up and into Kara’s pants, beneath her underwear and between her legs. They both sighed as Lena’s fingers slipped. Lena sighed again, her breath tickling over the fine hairs on Kara’s neck causing Kara to shudder. “Did you get this wet from fucking me?” Lena asked and her heart skipped a beat when the tips of Kara’s ears reddened. Kara grunted a response, her arms flexing on either side of Lena’s body and Lena felt her breath catch. Lena moved her hand, gently sliding along Kara’s length, avoiding her clit. “I’ve never come so fast in my life,” Lena said, her lips ghosting over Kara’s neck. “God, you felt good. All I could think about was coming for you.”

Kara flexed her arms again and Lena heard a slight creaking sound behind her. Lena let her fingertips dip. She rubbed a small circle around Kara’s opening and she felt Kara stiffen. “Not inside–“

“I know,” Lena said, dragging her fingers up and gently stroking over Kara’s clit; again Kara shuddered. “I know,” Lena repeated, her tongue reaching out and gently flicking Kara’s earlobe. Kara moaned breathily in response and Lena smiled. She wasted no time settling into a steady rhythm, her fingers stroking Kara’s length and then circling her clit, and Kara responded by starting to slightly rock her hips. Lena nails scratched up into the back of Kara’s neck into her hair, her fingers cradling her head, and Kara’s head dropped forward. She rested her forehead on Lena’s shoulder, her breath starting to come in pants and Lena hummed. “You feel so good,” she whispered, her fingers pressing a little firmer between Kara’s legs as she swirled them over Kara’s clit. 

“So do you,” Kara croaked. She swallowed hard, the exertion of desire and restraint evident in the stitch in her brow. “I missed you.” Lena squeezed her fingers on the back of Kara’s neck and then dropped her hand. She fumbled to get her arm inside Kara’s cardigan, her hand up under Kara’s shirt until she could wrap her arm tightly around Kara’s back. Kara’s skin was soft and warm, and her muscles flexed with each thrust beneath Lena’s forearm. Lena dropped her forehead to the crook of Kara’s neck. They panted together as they moved, Lena’s fingers slipping and swirling, Kara’s thrusts controlled and urgent.

“Come for me, Kara,” Lena said and Kara grunted, a slight creaking sound coming from behind Lena again. “I want to feel you come. Please.” Lena brought her lips up and kissed Kara’s neck and Kara again released a quiet, strangled cry. Lena put her lips to Kara’s skin and whispered, so soft that it was almost just an exhalation of air but Kara heard it loud as a scream, and a wave of pleasure shot through her. 

“Say it again,” Kara said and Lena’s brow knit. 

“Say wh–“ Lena cut herself off, realizing with surprise that Kara had heard her whisper. Lena swallowed hard and pressed her head into Kara’s temple, her fingers still working between Kara’s legs. “I love you.”

There was another creaking groan behind Lena and Kara thrusted awkwardly a few times, her body taut, before her back arched and she moaned, her body stilling as she came. Lena immediately stopped her motion, pressing her fingers instead against Kara’s clit as she rode out her orgasm. Kara slumped against her and Lena held her tight with her arm around her waist, their skin stuck together with sweat. Lena nuzzled against Kara’s face, kissing her damp temple. 

“Thank you,” Kara gasped into Lena’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

Lena tightened her grasp on Kara’s waist and nodded her head against Kara’s.

*********************

“Hey,” Winn said as Alex was walking by his terminal. “The device code for Lena is ready. Want me to run it down?”

“No, I’ll take it,” Alex said, her face turned down in a frown. She paused. “Have you seen Kara? I need to talk to her.”

“Uh,” he scanned his monitors. “She’s not on the news anywhere so unless she flew home in her comfy sweats, she’s probably still here somewhere. Post-recovery.”

“Thanks,” Alex said. She picked up the jump drive and headed for Lena’s lab.

***************************************************************************************************

Their kiss was gentle until it wasn’t, Lena deepening it and whimpering at the sensation as Kara kissed her back. Before things could escalate further, Kara broke their lips apart and ducked her head, her breath coming out in a puff against Lena’s collar bone. Lena leaned her head into Kara’s temple. “What?” Lena whispered. 

“Alex,” Kara murmured before looking back up and meeting Lena’s eye. Lena nodded slightly.

A moment later Alex entered the lab and found Kara standing by the device in the center of the room, Lena sitting at her desk reapplying her lipstick. “Hey,” Alex said, looking between the two. “Uh. I have the rest of the code.”

“Thank you,” Lena said coolly, putting her lipstick into her purse. “Leave it next to the device.”

Alex walked forward and looked to Kara before placing the drive on the table. “Are you done here? I want to run one more test on your head,” Alex said quietly. 

“Yup,” Kara said. She looked over her shoulder to Lena, who nodded at her. Kara nodded back and exited the room with Alex. They fell into a brisk walk, shoulder to shoulder. 

“Are you okay?” Alex said, looking to Kara.

“Mmhmm,” Kara said, eyes straight ahead as they walked.

“OK,” Alex said. “Because it looks like you tried to wipe it off, but you still have Lena’s lipstick all over your neck and your fa–“ Before she could finish Kara was gone, Alex’s hair fluttering up. Alex slightly smirked, still walking and two strides later Kara was back at her side, now dressed in her Supergirl suit, her hair perfectly coiffed, her face and neck lipstick free. Alex glanced at her. “Do you want to talk about–“

“Nope,” Kara said. 

“Are you sure? Because we used to talk–“

“My head is fine,” Kara said with a quick look at Alex. “Tell J’onn I’ll be back in a little bit.” Once again she was off in a blur and Alex worked her jaw as she went back to the bullpen.

*********************

Kara soared high above the clouds over National City, to the place just above where planes sought out smooth air and bright sun. She paused, floating in the gentle wind and arched her neck, taking in the rays of the late afternoon sun. She exhaled, long and slow, and closed her eyes. She was shaking. She could feel the tremble in her hands, the tremor in her lips, and she took another deep breath to try and quell her body’s reaction to what had just happened. 

She had used every ounce of restraint, every bit of determination to curb her strength to be with Lena, and now that she was here, floating above it all, she felt the adrenaline of the encounter wear off in a crashing wave. 

She wiped the tears leaking from her closed eyes and tried to put herself into a neutral space, far away from the overwhelming feelings she had just given into. She couldn’t hear Lena’s heartbeat from this distance, couldn’t see the DEO from this height. Kara took another deep breath and willed herself to calm down. To be still. She flexed her fingers and felt them finally stop trembling as she relaxed her grasp. 

Lena loved her. The warm feeling that thought generated spread through Kara and then quickly receded. Lena loved her, but was so afraid to admit it that she could barely say the words. Kara took another deep breath and tried to recenter herself, her heart fluttering wildly in her chest. She tried so hard not to hate anyone, but her feelings for Lex Luthor in that moment verged in that direction. Lena was afraid to love Kara because she was afraid that she would eventually turn into someone as cruel as Lex and hurt her. That realization made Kara feel feelings she tried very hard to ignore, feelings that in the past had made her shoot her mother’s hologram with heat vision, that had almost drowned her when she was infected with Red Kryptonite. That Lena couldn’t see what she so clearly was, a force for good, because of her mad brother made Kara’s fists clench involuntarily. 

She took a deep breath, and then another, and after a long moment her mind drifted to Kal-El. How lonely he must feel, how betrayed. She couldn’t imagine how it must have felt for her cousin when he found out Lois was working on the article she had likely sworn she had abandoned. Kara’s brow furrowed. She had put Kal-El and Lois’s relationship on a pedestal—a possible blueprint for her and Lena—and it turns out it was as fraught as anyone’s. She turned her body until she faced north, took a deep breath and shot off in the direction of the Fortress of Solitude. 

*********************

Alex paced in her lab, the bag of food Maggie had brought still sitting on the counter, the smell of Italian sneaking from the containers and taunting her. She assumed Maggie had left the DEO while Alex saw to Kara’s head, assumed that Maggie was now back at work, angry and hurt. Alex swallowed hard and crossed to the bag of food. She paused, then picked it up and threw it in the nearest trash can. She tapped her ear and spoke. “Winn, can you please tell Supergirl that she needs to return to the DEO and meet me in the training room. It’s urgent.”

Alex swallowed hard and left her lab.

*********************

Kara walked into the training room with a concerned look on her face. “What’s wrong? Did you find Rikker?” Alex walked to the control panel on the wall and pressed several buttons and the door shut, the light on the panel turning from green to red. Kara’s brow furrowed and she looked around. They were alone. “Did you just lock me in?”

“I did,” Alex said, walking toward the center of the room where Kara stood.

Kara looked at her annoyed. “You know I could break down the door, right?”

“And then you’d have to explain that to J’onn, so go for it,” Alex replied. Kara looked at her sharply. “I’ve tried to talk to you four times today and you’ve blown me off every single time.”

“I’ve been busy,” Kara said dismissively.

“Yeah, I saw that when I found you in Lena’s lab.”

Kara gave Alex a warning look. 

“You’ve also been angry and sullen and–“

“Stop,” Kara said, flashing another warning look.

“You’ve been avoiding me—angry with me—for months and I’ve finally had enough,” Alex said as Kara looked to her feet. “Why don’t you just say it, Kara: You blame me for your break up with Lena.”

Kara took a deep breath and shook her head. “I never should have listened to you, I should have told Lena I was Supergirl as soon as we got together.”

“So why didn’t you?” Alex challenged.

“You told me I couldn’t,” Kara said, looking up, her brow knit.

“And when has that ever stopped you? You saved a plane full of people wearing street clothes; you told James and Winn–“

“That was before I worked at the DEO,“ Kara said, pacing away. “And I never told James; Kal did.”

“You told Lucy–“

“Who was running the DEO,“ Kara said, turning back to face Alex.

“You make choices every day that I disagree with, do things that drive me up the wall because we’ve talked about the risks and yet you do them anyway,” Alex said sharply. “What was it so different with Lena?”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you,” Kara blurted. “You were so, strident, so sure that I would be making a mistake if I told her, if I trusted her, with the truth. I was trusting you to help me make the right choice.” Kara took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. “I had never been in love before, and you had Maggie and I just.” She took another deep breath. 

“You didn’t need to listen to me if it felt that wrong,” Alex said. “You are your own person.”

“Am I?” Kara asked. “You helped make Kara Danvers. I wouldn’t have been able to pass as human without you, Alex, without your advice or instructions.”

Alex opened her mouth to argue and then closed it.

“Your approval means so much to me,” Kara said. “That you never liked Lena–“

“That’s–“

“Or trusted my instincts when I told you that she was good. You didn’t trust me.” Kara’s chest rose and fell. “That you didn’t trust me hurt the most.”

Alex swallowed hard. “You talk about trust, but since Lena left, you haven’t trusted me.”

Kara frowned, called out. 

“You didn’t tell me about visiting Star City, or Central City–“ Kara looked away, her cheeks flushing. “Quitting CatCo,” Alex continued. “You didn’t like my advice about telling Lena about your identity but at least I was there. I was there for game nights, for double dates. I didn’t abandon you when things got hard.”

“Abandon,” Kara repeated, surprised. She looked sharply at Alex. “What are you talking about?”

“My relationship with Maggie is falling apart.”

“What?” Kara asked quietly. “Alex, what are you talking about?”

“It’s falling apart,” Alex continued, her voice thick. “And it’s been really hard dealing with it alone.” She met Kara’s eye and then looked away. 

“Alex…”

Alex swallowed hard. “We were having a bad night the other night so we went out, went to shoot some pool and we drank, a lot. And when we got home we had a conversation that we had no business having that drunk,” Alex said. Tears stung her eyes and her voice leaked out around the emotion threatening to close her throat. “She told me that she wondered, all the time, if she was making a mistake being with me because I didn’t know what I wanted. That I was going to wake up one day and realize that I had ‘fallen for the first gay girl who was nice to me’, and that she wasn’t what I really wanted.” Alex paused. “And it scared me so much that I lied to her. She asked me point blank if I was going back on giving up the idea of kids and I lied. Because the truth is I think about it all the time. Being a mother. Her changing her mind and being a mother with me…” Alex shook her head. “But that’s not going to happen. She’s not going to change. It’s an either/or, I either am with Maggie or I try to become a mother and…” she trailed off. 

“Alex.”

“I love Maggie,” Alex continued. “She is _everything_ I could want in a partner. She’s funny and smart and that she gets what I do for a living, my relationship with you, she’s…” Alex bit her lip. “But she doesn’t want kids and I do.” She took a deep breath. “I thought I could talk myself into giving that up for her, but it just seems to keep popping up between us and I wonder.” She stopped and took another deep breath. “If I give that up for her, something I’ve wanted my whole life, then what? Who am I if I don’t get to try to be a mother some day?” 

“I…” Kara said. She abandoned any thought of trying to make things better with words at the broken look on Alex’s face. Kara stepped forward instead and wrapped her arms around her sister. Alex leaned against her, her face screwing up. Her chin trembled and she swallowed hard to pull herself together. She took a couple of calming breaths and then stepped away, walking a few steps before stopping, tears stinging her eyes. 

Kara waited, silent, giving Alex space to continue.

“We had a fight last night; that’s why I was in so early,” Alex said. “She’s been offered a job that’ll have her splitting time between here and Coast City for the next two years.” She paused. “It’s a good job, good for her career, and instead of feeling supportive I feel angry.” Alex looked up, sheepish and sad. “So the option is to break up with her, or stay and lose a part of myself that I really want,” Alex said. She looked back to Kara. “How can I break up with Maggie?”

Kara looked to her, sympathetic, her heart hurting for her sister. “I don’t know,” she said, unshed tears in her eyes, and Alex nodded. 

Alex looked to the floor and composed herself. “You think I didn’t like Lena and I think what it really was was that I didn’t like your relationship.”

“Wha– Why?” Kara asked, confused at both the statement and the subject change.

“Because it reminded me how hard it was for me to accept myself before I came out. And that maybe I wasn’t totally happy with my relationship,” Alex admitted. “Can I tell you something?”

“Yes,” Kara said. “Anything.”

Alex smiled. “You once texted me that you’d had a ‘balcony visit’ with Lena and I read ‘baloney visit’. I didn’t even question it because I think half of the times you’ve visited her balcony they were just BS excuses to see her.” She looked up and met Kara’s eye and Kara laughed. 

“That’s,” Kara said, blushing. “Accurate, maybe.” Her smile faded. “Her office in Star City doesn’t have a balcony.”

“I know,” Alex said softly. “Are you all right?”

“Me? I should be asking you that,” Kara said, concerned.

“And I’m asking you,” Alex said. “Are you OK?”

Kara smiled and exhaled quickly. “I don’t know yet.” 

After a long moment, Alex spoke. “How serious were things between you and Lena?” She frowned when Kara looked to the ground. “Did you. Did you think that you might marry her someday?”

Kara blushed to her roots. She opened her mouth to speak and then closed it and nodded her head.

“Did you two talk about it?” Alex asked gently.

Kara swallowed hard and nodded. 

Alex exhaled. “I’m sorry.”

Kara looked to the side and then licked her lips. She couldn’t speak. 

“Why didn’t you ever tell me that it was that serious?” Alex asked.

“Because it was private, Alex,” Kara said. “You’re my sister, but.” She stopped. “Some things were just for me and Lena.”

Alex nodded, understanding. 

“Can I ask you a question?” Kara asked. 

“Of course,” Alex answered.

“Do you want to have kids because then there’d be someone to look after me… after…”

“I die?” Alex finished. Kara nodded her head and Alex nodded. “Yeah.” She watched Kara’s face fall. “But it’s not the only reason. There are…” Alex sighed. “A million reasons. Like, little fingers, little toes,” she smiled softly as Kara smiled at her, tears filling their eyes. “Science fairs and stargazing when camping. Scraped knees.” They both lightly laughed. “We’d have another Danvers on our team.”

Kara smiled and wiped at her eyes. “That would be pretty cool.”

“Yeah,” Alex said, doing the same. 

Kara swallowed hard. “You know you have my support, no matter what you decide to do, right?”

“Thank you for saying it,” Alex said.

“I mean it,” Kara said. 

“I know you do. And you have mine, too,” Alex said. Kara looked up hopefully and Alex took a deep breath. “Whatever happens with Lena, I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Alex,” Kara said. 

Alex took a deep breath. “I owe Lena an apology.”

“For…?”

“Our last conversation was…not good. I was pretty mean.” Alex shook her head. “She didn’t deserve to have me blow up at her because I was stressed out about Maggie.”

“And me,” Kara said.

Alex nodded. “And you.”

Kara looked to her hands. “When all of this is over, with Rikker, maybe we can go away. A sisters trip.”

“What about Lena?”

Kara smiled sadly. “I think Lena is going straight back to Star City once this is over.”

“You just had sex in a DEO lab,” Alex said and Kara looked up with wide-eyed innocence and a bright red blush. Alex’s brow crumpled, worried that she had read the situation wrong. “You did, just–“

“Yes,” Kara said, guilty.

They each looked away, embarrassed. “She’s not going back to Star City,” Alex predicted confidently, and Kara shook her head.

“I don’t know,” Kara said. “She seemed so happy when she was talking about her work there. I can tell she misses L-Corp.”

“She can do the work here,” Alex said, watching Kara closely. When Kara didn’t reply, Alex changed the subject. “Where did you go after we left the lab and you wouldn’t let me look at your head again?”

Kara rolled her eyes. “The Fortress to see Kal-El.”

“How is he?” Alex asked. 

“I didn’t have the heart to go in once I got there,” Kara said, playing with the edge of her cape. “I still have this, feeling of protection toward him, even though…”

“You never got the chance to take care of him when he was a baby.”

Kara nodded. “But he went there to be alone, and I respect that. I can’t imagine how he feels right now. I thought his relationship with Lois was different. Hashtag goals.” 

“Nobody but the people in the relationship really know what it’s like,” Alex said.

Kara nodded and took a deep breath. “I went to Central City after that, and then came back here to see Lena.”

“And I locked you in here,” Alex said, wincing. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s OK,” Kara said. “I was actually in the DEO when you messaged me.” She blushed at Alex’s raised brow. “I went to see her first.”

“And…?”

“She wasn’t in the lab,” Kara said. “I stood in the hallway outside of her suite for like, ten minutes talking myself into and then out of knocking.” Kara bit at the inside of her lip. “It’s funny how sometimes talking to someone you love is harder than taking on an angry multi-limbed alien.”

“Yeah,” Alex said, understanding the sentiment exactly.

Kara exhaled and stretched her arms in front of her. “Have you had dinner?”

“Uh, Maggie brought me something earlier, but I was too upset to eat it.”

“Want to do a dinner run?” Kara asked. “I could probably eat everything on the menu at Noonan’s in one sitting.”

Alex smiled before her face fell. “I should get home,” she said and Kara nodded, understanding what that might mean. 

“It’s gonna be OK, Alex,” Kara said.

Alex exhaled and smiled. “Yeah.” Her smile immediately disappeared. “I feel sick.”

“Yeah,” Kara said. She stepped forward and hugged Alex. They stayed together for a long while before Kara kissed the side of Alex’s head and murmured, “I’m here for you. Just let me know what you need, OK?”

“OK,” Alex said, stepping out of the embrace.

“Do you want me to take you home?”

“No, it’s OK,” Alex said. 

Kara nodded. “Call me. Any time, if you need any thing.”

“OK,” Alex said. She tried to put on a brave smile. 

“I love you, Alex,” Kara said. 

“I love you, too,” Alex replied. She crossed to the wall panel, punched in the code for the door to open and they parted in the hallway with a quick squeeze of each other’s hand.

*********************

Rikker threw the wrench against the wall with a muffled yell, the metal making a dent in the plaster before it clanked against the wood floor. He wasn’t going to be able to fix it. There wasn’t enough time. A safe house wasn’t safe indefinitely and he either needed to move forward with Plan B or find a new place to hole up. He rubbed his hand over the unscared side of this face. The stress of it all was starting to get to him. Plan B wasn’t perfect, but living like this, every hour in hiding eating away at his sanity wasn’t going to work much longer.

He sighed and turned back to the Warsuit, laying on the kitchen table. It would have to do. The device was ready to go; that the Warsuit wasn’t perfect was just the way things were. He sighed again and grabbed his jacket, then left the house for a brief walk along the docks. Maybe, maybe some fresh air would help before he put the next phase in motion.

*********************

Lena looked up from her morning coffee as Alex entered the lab. Lena turned to face Alex, her entire frame ready to fight. “What.”

Alex held up her hands. “I’m here to apologize.”

Lena’s brow crumpled as she took in how tired Alex looked, how stressed and contrite. “Are you OK?” Lena asked, cautiously concerned.

“No, actually,” Alex replied honestly. “It’s been a pretty spectacularly crappy last 24 hours.” Lena just nodded sympathetically as she watched Alex struggle to keep an even keel. Alex finally looked up, a small smile on her lips. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I blew up about the Warsuit because I was pissed off about something else and I took it out on you.”

Lena barely nodded, silent. 

“I am grateful that you’re here,” Alex said. “We wouldn’t know half of what we do without you.”

“Thank you,” Lena said, her brow knitting in surprise. 

Alex struggled with what to say next. “It’s my job to be suspicious,” she said, holding her hands from her side. “I don’t want to be.”

“Well the Luthor name doesn’t exactly engender trust,” Lena conceded. She paused. “I need you to know though that I didn’t have anything to do with those two attacks. And I don’t have anything to do with Rikker. All I want is for Lillian and Lex to disappear from my life.”

Alex nodded. “You know you accused me once of not liking you; that’s not true.” 

Lena shifted, uncomfortable, clearly not expecting the conversation to move beyond their professional relationship.

“At first I was leery because of your family name,” Alex admitted. “But then after that… I think part of my problem was with Kara.” Alex caught Lena’s confused look. “I didn’t know it, but I spent my whole life working my way up to coming out, and it took something as terrifying as falling in love with Maggie and being afraid I would lose her to go through with it and live my truth. But then, for Kara…” Alex swallowed hard and shrugged. “She meets you, falls in love, and suddenly you’re at the game nights and we’re going on double dates.”

“It was too much of me too soon,” Lena said.

“No, it was me struggling to be okay with who I am and then Kara just stumbling into a relationship with another woman with no angst or worries or… It was so easy for her.”

“Easy?” Lena asked, amused. “She’s an alien superhero with a secret identity who fell in love with someone whose evil family tries to kill her regularly.”

“Relationship-wise, Lena,” Alex said, annoyed. She paused to let go of the annoyance. “I’ve struggled since she came to Earth with some sibling jealousy issues. I think part of my problem with your relationship was that I was frustrated with how everything is easy for her.” Alex paused. “Until you left her and then I started to not like you for real.” 

Lena arched an eyebrow at that.

“You haven’t always made it easy,” Alex accused.

Lena opened her mouth to argue and then thought better of it. She bobbed her head, agreeing. “I’m sorry,” she finally said. “Though in my defense, having your girlfriend’s sister also be a gun-wielding government agent investigating your family for dangerous crimes is intimidating.”

“I don’t believe for a second that Lena Luthor is intimidated by anyone.”

Lena smiled. “A boardroom is one thing, a lab… But family of the person you love is another.”

“You never once invited us over to your place when you lived here,” Alex said.

Lena looked taken aback. She had no idea that had been an issue. “Because my place in National City was an apartment decorated for me by strangers. It wasn’t a home.” Lena sighed when Alex didn’t seem to understand. “It made me feel… less than, to think of you all in my sad apartment with all of the fancy things that meant nothing to me. It was where I was when I wasn’t at L-Corp or Kara’s and that’s it. It wasn’t a home.”

“It felt like you were holding yourself separate so that if you needed to disappear, you could,” Alex said.

“That wasn’t my intention,” Lena said.

Alex nodded. She paused for a long second before cocking her head and squinting. “Lena, what were you thinking ending things with her.”

Lena’s brow furrowed deeply.

Alex considered her words. “Maggie told me once to watch how you look at Kara with heart eyes, and I just can’t figure out why you thought it would be a good idea to leave her.”

Lena opened and closed her mouth before sound finally came out. “You know, I’ve been playing chess since I was 4 years old. And I looked at the board, my relationship with Kara…” Lena explained. “And all I could see were scenarios where one or both of us ended up dead or irrevocably changed for the worse, and… Leaving her seemed the only move that could make her happy in the long run.”

“But leaving her did change her, and I don’t know if she’s ever going to go back to being the Kara we both love.” Alex frowned. “And it’s changed you, too, and not in a good way.”

Lena looked at her, angered and shocked.

“You look miserable every time she leaves,” Alex said. “Being apart is doing neither of you any good.”

Lena was quiet. 

“I know this is none of my business,” Alex said. “And believe me, I would almost rather be doing anything else than talk to you about your relationship with my sister but–“

“You love her and you want her to be happy,” Lena finished. Alex nodded and Lena paused for a long moment. “A few months ago, I was coming back into my office in National City from a board meeting—it had been a long day, I was in a horrible mood—and I stopped short because I could see Kara hovering in the sky just outside the building.” Lena smiled fondly at the memory. “She was in her Supergirl suit of course. It was a few weeks before the second attack and I was still blissfully ignorant of the truth. I think she was out there because she got bored waiting for me on the balcony. It was sunset, and she was facing west. Her cape was waving behind her like a flag, and her hair was bright gold in the light. She was just floating there, soaking in the sun, the most serene look on her face. I remember standing there alone, thinking that to most people it would have been the most beautiful thing they’d ever seen.”

“But not you.”

“No, not me,” Lena said with a shake of her head. “Because I’ve seen Kara smile at me when it was just the two of us, and that is the most beautiful thing.”

“Talk to her,” Alex said. 

Lena nodded, acknowledging that she should. There was a knock at the door and both women looked up to find Winn entering. “I got that extra server space.”

“Thank you, Winn,” Lena said.

“No problem,” Winn said. “If you get the device running, let me know, I want to see this bad boy in action.”

“Sure,” Lena said with a slight smile.

Winn smiled and then frowned, something catching his eye. “What happened to your counter?”

All three looked to the counter next to Lena’s desk and Lena blushed bright red at the crumpled steel from where Kara had gripped the counter as she came. Alex’s eyes went wide. “Lab mishap,” Alex said quickly, meeting Lena’s embarrassed eye. Alex put her hands on Winn’s shoulders and pushed him toward the door. “I’ll put in a work order.”

“Thanks,” Lena said. “Alex.” Alex stopped by the door with her hands on Winn’s shoulders and looked back. “Thank you.”

Alex nodded once. 

“What lab mishap bends a steel countertop?” Winn asked and Alex pushed him from the lab as Lena blushed and turned back to the device. 

*********************

The man on the dock did a double take as the shadowy figure walked past him. The gloomy weather made it dark, but it wasn’t that dark. The man reached into his pocket and pulled free a slip of paper. He looked to the number written on it and then back over his shoulder at the man walked away from him. A man with the scar on half of his face. The man on the dock fished his phone from his other pocket and dialed. “Yeah, Lois Lane? We spoke earlier on the docks.”

*********************

Lena rested her head against her palm. She glanced at the counter by the desk in the corner and swallowed hard, the memory of Kara pinning her against it coursing through her. The counter was now shiny and smooth, the DEO taking no time in replacing damaged material, and Lena idly wondered where the removed crumpled steel counter was now. Lena looked up as her computer dinged. She absently looked to the screen, her gaze sharpening as her eyes trained on one section of the Warsuit schematics that were now glowing bright red. “Gills,” she murmured, her voice full of wonder.

*********************

Kara walked into the bullpen and made her way to Alex. “Hey, are you OK?”

“No,” Alex muttered. She rolled her eyes and huffed. “Maggie wasn’t home last night. She stayed at a friend’s place and then this morning when I offered to meet her for an early breakfast to talk, she wouldn’t answer my texts.”

Kara wrapped her arm around Alex’s shoulder for a hug. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah,” Alex said, patting Kara’s back. They broke apart and Alex huffed again. “The only reason I’m here and not trying to track her down is because Winn said he has something new on Rikker.” Kara squeezed her arm and Alex gave her a look. 

“Ready?” J’onn asked, striding into the room. 

“Yup,” Alex said. She exchanged a quick look with Kara and they fell in next to him, ending up standing around the circular command center console. 

“OK,” Winn started. “So I went back and found surveillance camera footage from Star City the night you confronted Rikker.” He stepped to the console and pulled up a video. “At first I didn’t think I found anything, but then…” They all watched as a streak flew by in the dark night sky, water reflecting the orange glow below. 

“What was that?” Alex asked.

“Lex’s Warsuit.” Everyone turned to look at Lena standing a few feet away. 

“Lena,” Kara said, a bright, nervous smile on her face. “Hey.”

Lena smiled briefly and awkwardly at Kara before walking to the center console with a tablet in hand. She stopped between Alex and Winn and Kara tried not to show her hurt that Lena hadn’t chosen to stand next to her. “He flew away from the warehouse wearing the Warsuit,” Lena said.

“This video is from the lighthouse along the cliffs,” Winn explained. “The water in the shot is the ocean.”

“He escaped from the warehouse via an underground tunnel,” J’onn said. “One of the tunnels exited out of the cliff face.”

“Lex’s Warsuit has the ability to fly, and something else,” Lena said. “One of the modifications Lex recently added was gills.”

“Gills, as in it can pull oxygen from the water, gills?” Alex asked.

Lena nodded.

“It can fly and go underwater indefinitely?” Winn asked, clearly impressed. “So cool.”

“Not indefinitely,” Lena cautioned. “But long enough to be able to cause trouble, no doubt.”

“Can Rikker use it to attack a nuclear sub in the water?” Alex asked.

“Possibly,” Lena said. “But I have reason to believe Rikker will only be attacking on land.”

“Hold that thought, Ms. Luthor,” J’onn said as he frowned and turned his attention to the stairs. “Mr. Olson,” he said, looking over Alex’s shoulder. The five standing at the console turned to see James rushing into the DEO bullpen, slightly out of breath. He stopped a few feet away and spoke. 

“Lois called. Rikker was spotted in Metropolis.”


	9. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara hesitated. “I’m sorry I didn’t come right back yesterday, after…”
> 
> “It’s OK,” Lena said, putting the now joined piece down and busying herself looking at the remaining pieces. “I didn’t expect you to.”
> 
> “You didn’t?” Kara asked, her face falling.
> 
> Lena shook her head. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something and then thought better of it. She shrugged. “You’re a superhero.

Kara, Lena, Alex, Winn and J’onn looked at James, and his wide-eyes narrowed as he took in the faces surrounding the circular table. “Lena,” James said shocked. “What are you doing here?” 

“She’s working with the DEO to figure out Lex Luthor’s plans,” J’onn replied.

Jame’s brow furrowed. “She’s–“

“An ally,” Alex said plainly. Lena looked to her hands and Kara’s eyes went wide with surprise. 

Winn smiled at James’s obvious confusion as he looked from face to face. “See what you miss when you skip off to Metropolis, buddy?” 

James settled his confused gaze on Kara and she swallowed her surprised smile, slightly shrugging her shoulders. She had been ready to jump to Lena’s defense when James’s look turned borderline accusatory, but with Alex and J’onn speaking up, she found it wasn’t needed.

James looked around again, his brow smoothing as Lena’s position as helper settled in his mind. “OK.” He turned his attention back to Alex and J’onn. “Lois said that one of her contacts put Rikker on the docks in Metropolis about an hour ago.” 

“There are no naval or civilian nuclear facilities in Metropolis,” Winn said.

“Opal City is a better target,” Alex said frowning. “It has the nuclear submarine naval port and a nuclear power plant nearby. Is Lois sure it was Rikker?”

“Yes,” James said. “Her contact is a long-time informant. He wouldn’t call Lois unless he was positive it was Rikker.”

“Rikker previously made it from National City to Star City without detection,” Lena said, everyone looking to her. “What if he did it via submersible?”

“A submarine,” J’onn said and Lena nodded.

“His speciality at LuthorCorp was personal submarines,” Lena said. “What if he has one in Metropolis and plans to use it to travel to Opal City?” 

“He could even be trying to be sighted in Metropolis to draw attention away from his true destination,” Kara posited.

“Why bother using a sub if he could just use the Warsuit and make like a shark and swim?” Winn asked.

“Comfort, most likely,” Lena said. “Metropolis and Opal City are closer together than National City and Star City, but it’d still be over 200 miles underwater.”

“But if he’s in the Warsuit he can just swim to Opal City, pop out of the water and boom, game on,” Winn said.

Lena shook her head. “There’s a defect in Lex’s design: The Warsuit’s weaponry isn’t guaranteed to work after submersing in water. The seal for the weapons chamber isn’t watertight. Lex may have given it gills but it looks like he didn’t have time to fix that,” Lena said. “The water flaw actually may be why he brought Rikker in.”

“Do you think Rikker could have fixed the flaw?” J’onn asked.

“Ability wise, I have no doubt. From what I’ve read in the files Sam sent over, he was a talented if troubled engineer. But time wise I doubt it unless it was something he had already perfected in a similar device. It’s a complex bit of engineering.” She briefly paused. “The miniaturization Lex added to my device may even be meant to be a guide for Rikker, to show how he could make some of his submarine technology work on a smaller scale and fit into the Warsuit. There’s no purpose that I’ve been able to determine for the miniaturization otherwise.”

“So you think he’s likely attacking something on land,” J’onn asked, and Lena nodded.

“Other than the nuclear power plant south of Opal City, there is one nuclear powered submarine in dock undergoing maintenance at the Gruen Naval Base,” Alex said. “There are also three nuclear subs off the coast in the North Atlantic.” 

J’onn frowned and turned to Lena. “How certain are you that the Warsuit would be rendered neutral underwater?”

“I didn’t say neutral,” Lena corrected. “Only that the onboard weapons system was likely to fail after submersing in water. Rikker may have other means to attack a submarine at sea outside of the Warsuit.”

“Hmm,” J’onn grunted. “Agent Schott, I’ll need you to look over the schematics and give me your recommendation.”

“I’m not wrong,” Lena said, affronted.

“And I didn’t say you were,” J’onn said, Lena flexing her jaw in reply. “Surely L-Corp doesn’t produce product that hasn’t been QA’d?” J’onn asked and Lena cocked her head, allowing his point.

“I can get started on that right now,” Winn said, looking between the two, and Lena grudgingly handed over her tablet. “Stay and go over the specs with me?” Winn asked and Lena nodded. 

Kara watched it all with wonder. She watched as Winn synced the table to the table tech, watched as the specs took form before her, now rendered as a 3D hologram. She was so into the conversation that she almost didn’t notice James gently touching her arm and leaning toward her. She looked over her shoulder and met his eye.

“Can I talk to you?” James asked quietly, nodding to the side and Kara nodded in reply. They walked away from the center console, stopping near the stairs, and James sighed. “It looks like I owe you an apology. I had no idea Lena was here helping. I’m sorry for assuming the worst.”

“Even if she wasn’t here she still wouldn’t deserve what your article said,” Kara said crossing her arms, her tone slightly petulant.

James frowned. “Kara, I love Lois and Clark. They’re my family, same as you and Winn are family here. What we went through with Lex–“

“But Lena is not Lex,” Kara said and James nodded his head, holding out his hand asking to be allowed to finish. 

“Lex was Clark’s friend,” James said. “OK, he was his friend, and when Lex betrayed him, it took something from Clark.” James paused, his hands on his hips. “I went through a lot with Clark and Lois when Lex turned.”

“And so did Lena,” Kara said, dropping her arms to her side. “Lex was her brother, she loved him. Those feelings you have, the feeling of protection and wariness, of betrayal? She has them, too.”

James swallowed hard and nodded his head, acknowledging her words. “I know how much Lena means to you and I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

Kara looked away, the words, ‘more than you already have been’ left hanging between them. “I understand that you were hurt by Lex, and that doesn’t go away…” Kara said softly. “But Lena is her own person. And I believe in her.”

James nodded, giving her the point, but the look in his eye was still guarded. He cleared his throat. “There’s uh, there’s something else I wanted to tell you. Lois found out who Lex’s initial point of contact was. An inventor named David Decker.”

“Did he work at LuthorCorp like Rikker?” Kara asked, straightening at the news.

“Not that we can tell, but he had a start up business that ran in some of the same circles as Lena pre-L-Corp.”

“Well let’s ask her if she recognizes him,” Kara said. The two returned to the center console where Lena and Alex watched as Winn reviewed the schematics. “James has some news,” Kara said and all three looked to the new arrivals.

“Lois has uncovered the name of the initial point of contact with Lex at Belle Reve,” James said. “An inventor named David Decker.” Lena’s brow knit in recognition, drawing James’s attention. “Do you know him?” 

“Not personally,” Lena said. “But if it’s the same David Decker of DRF Industries, then I’ve heard of him. He had a small start up like mine, we presented at a lot of the same conferences. He was developing a filter for long-range space flight. He pitched it to NASA and ESA maybe a dozen times but when they put it on the ISS for a short trial run in their inflatable module it failed.” She looked around the room. “After that I thought his company had gone bankrupt, to be honest. He didn’t have any other products that I know of.”

Winn typed into the console and pulled up a government security clearance profile of David Decker. “This guy?”

“Yeah,” Lena said, staring at his picture. 

Kara looked to the group. “What if he took his filter to Lex looking for help in bailing out his struggling company and Lex gave him–“

“My device instead,” Lena said. Kara nodded.

“Could Decker have built the machine we have here in the lab?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know,” Lena said. “I mean, his filter idea was elegant but the execution was flawed. There was an engineering gap somewhere.”

“Maybe that’s why the one we have doesn’t work,” Winn said.

“And maybe that’s why Lex brought in Rikker,” Alex said. “A closer in case Decker couldn’t get the job done.”

“Maybe Decker was the person who called the tip line,” Winn said. “Maybe he was getting squeezed out by Rikker and ratted him out.”

“That’s a lot of maybes,” Lena observed.

“Lois tried to track Decker down to talk, but the guy has disappeared,” James said. “Pulled his kids from school, left town.”

“He ran,” Kara said.

“If he double crossed Lex, he’d be a fool not to run,” Lena said darkly.

“Does Lois have any leads on where he went?” Alex asked.

“No,” James replied. “He deleted all of his social media—it’s like he’s a ghost.”

“I have an idea of where he might be,” Winn said. He pulled up a Facebook page and everyone looked to see Decker’s smiling face in the profile picture. “Check coastal Mexican fishing towns in the Costa Grande region,” Winn said. Everyone looked at him. “Nothing gets deleted forever, it’s the Internet, and his favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, so…”

“Right, International APB on Decker,” Alex said. “Thanks James. Thanks Lena.”

Lena nodded. “Do you still need me?” she asked Winn.

“No, I’m good. I’ll track you down once I’m finished,” Winn said and Lena nodded before turning to leave the bullpen. Kara opened her mouth to try and catch Lena’s attention only to turn her head in surprise as James spoke first. 

“Lena,” James said, and Kara watched as he walked to a cautious Lena’s side. “Can I have a minute?”

Lena raised a brow and nodded. She allowed James to guide her to a conference room just off of the bullpen. Kara watched, speechless, as they left the room. 

“Feel like going to Mexico?” Alex asked Kara, casting a sympathetic glance at the glass conference room where James took Lena and the two settled warily in chairs along the long conference table.

Kara sighed and turned back to Alex. “Sure,” she said in a defeated tone. “Where am I going?”

“Playa Michigan,” Alex said, showing Kara a map on a tablet. Kara studied the map and then met Alex’s eye. “Adios hermana,” Alex said and Kara rolled her eyes before flying out of the building. 

****************************

James cleared his throat. “Thank you for talking to me. I can’t imagine I’m your favorite person right now.”

“Why, because you and Lois Lane indirectly accused me helping my brother attack innocent people?” Lena asked. 

James took a deep, patient breath. “Your brother hurt people I love.” 

“He hurt a lot of people,” Lena said, trying not to sound defensive.

“Including you,” James said, watching her reaction closely. She swallowed hard and reluctantly nodded. James cocked his head and frowned. “What I’m trying to say is that I appreciate that you’re here, helping. Even if it’s just to help Kara.”

“Thank you,” Lena said slowly. “But I’m here to stop my brother, once and for all. I’m done having my life pitched about on his maniacal whims.”

James hesitated. “I was thinking: What if Lex used Decker because his profile was similar to yours, to draw attention to you if the plan was uncovered? ‘Secret inventor asking Lex for help with a failed device” and the device is yours? That can’t be a coincidence.”

“It probably isn’t,” Lena agreed, adding it to the list of things Lex had done to try and hurt her since being sent to prison. 

“I don’t know if I can stop the story on you that’s set to run, but I’ll try.”

“Thank you,” Lena said, surprised and slightly suspicious of the offer.

“And,” James said, his head tilting gently to the side. “When this is over, if you want to go on the record with what you’ve done here to help… Let me know how I can help.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. “But I think if I ever do talk about this, perhaps it can be with Clark Kent.”

James looked surprised. “I can ask him.”

Lena smiled and paused. “You know, I was slightly jealous of you when we first met…” James’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Being the last person Kara cared about before me, it took me a little while to see you as something other than a potential white knight rival. Especially given your distrust of me.”

“That’s not why I investigated this story.”

“I know,” Lena said. “You’re a journalist, following a lead.”

A contrite smile pulled at his lips. “I’m sorry it’s taken you working with the DEO to start to see you as something other than an extension of Lex.” 

“You still have reservations.” He slightly winced, and she held up a hand to go with the self-deprecating smile twisting her lips. “You have your reasons. I can’t say that I blame you.”

“Lex baggage is hard to unload.”

“It is,” Lena said, and when their eyes met she knew James understood. 

He stood and held out a hand. “I gotta get going. Story to kill.”

She nodded and shook his hand, watching for a moment as he left the conference room and walked away. She turned her head, looking through the glass to see the bullpen empty of Kara. Lena swallowed hard before putting her head down and returning to her lab.

****************************

Kara stopped by the bullpen and reported back to Alex after flying to Mexico. If Decker was there, he was keeping a low profile and they’d need more than just a quick fly through the region to find him. Alex thanked her for her help and Kara made her way to Lena’s lab. Kara took several deep breaths in the hallway once there to quiet her nerves, and then entered the lab, finding Lena standing next to the center table with machine parts in her hands and a set of tools by her side.

“Hey,” Kara said softly as she walked toward Lena. Lena’s eyes went wide and her gaze darted to the side. Kara’s gaze followed, her own eyes going wide with surprise. “Winn! Hey, Winn,” Kara said with a blushing smile as Winn entered the room from the supply closet. “What, what are you doing here?” Kara looked back to Lena, who just smirked in reply. 

“Only having the best time of my life,” Winn said, excitedly putting an armful of stuff down on the table. “Alex is letting us build Lex’s Warsuit.” 

“She is?” Kara asked, surprised. 

“Only the part with the water defect,” Lena cautioned. 

“Which is the part that shoots lasers!” Winn exclaimed. He clapped his hands together silently, his face pure joy. 

“We’re going to see if we can fix it using some of Rikker’s known work from his time at LuthorCorp. If the flaw is fatal we can maybe rule out a water attack,” Lena explained.

“Oh,” Kara sputtered, looking at the pile of machine parts. “That sounds like it might take a while.” She looked to Lena and they shared a look. Kara cleared her throat and look to Winn and then the machine parts. “Well. I can stay and help.” 

Lena and Winn both stopped what they were doing and stared. “You?” Winn asked with a smile. “You want to help with the, building and the innovating?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, slightly offended that he assumed she wouldn’t. She blushed when she saw Lena’s amused look. “I took science on Krypton when I was a kid, which is like college-level stuff here, so–”

“Kara, a word,” J’onn interrupted, his body leaning into the lab from the hallway. 

Kara sighed, frustrated and looked to Lena, who tilted her head to the side, an unreadable look on her face. 

“Duty calls, Supergirl!” Winn cried giddily as he started to sort through the parts before him. 

Kara nodded her head, resigned and left the lab. 

****************************

“I want you to fly up and down the coastline between Metropolis and Opal City and see if you can spot any possible submersibles that Rikker may be using,” J’onn said as he took a seat in one of the meeting rooms off of the bullpen.

“And if his submarine is made of lead?” Kara said, starting to pace.

“See what you don’t see,” J’onn said. “If Lena is right, and Rikker is on the move in a submersible, we may be able to capture him before things go too far.” 

“OK,” Kara said. 

J’onn cocked his head. “What’s bothering you, Kara?” 

“So many things,” Kara muttered before meeting his eye and stopping next to the table. “Where could Rikker have gotten Kryptonite?” J’onn leaned back and sighed heavily. “Is it synthetic from Lillian?”

“Winn doesn’t think so,” J’onn said. “I’ve had him running a scan for radioactive signatures like the one Metallo had and so far he’s found nothing. Maybe Lex Luthor had a vault we never knew about.”

“Lena inherited all of Lex’s possessions when he was locked up,” Kara said, clearly implying Lena wouldn’t have kept Kryptonite hidden away.

“Not all of them,” J’onn said. “Lillian was in possession of at least one vault, just this last year.” J’onn’s voice was gentle as he continued. “And maybe Lena doesn’t know about everything she owns. Her empire is vast, and she didn’t know about the warehouses being purchased in her name.”

Kara frowned, clearly frustrated.

“Regardless of where the Kryptonite is from, we should treat it like it’s real unless otherwise proven wrong,” J’onn said. “Safer to assume its existence for everyone involved. You have the anti-Kryptonite suit Winn made?”

“It’s uncomfortable,” Kara grumbled.

“Better uncomfortable than dead,” J’onn said.

“Well that got dark fast,” Kara muttered. She looked closely at J’onn. “Rikker has you nervous.”

J’onn frowned. “The idea of Gold Kryptonite makes me nervous.” 

Kara exhaled and sunk down to sit on the edge of the table. “Yeah,” she said. “Me too.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?” J’onn asked gently.

Kara smiled, ready to demure, but then she thought better of it and her smile faded a shade. “I’m still in love with Lena, and her brother is trying to take away my powers so he can kill me.” She shrugged and he frowned.

“So, it’s complicated.”

Kara exhaled and gave him an affirming look. “I feel like there are so many things happening at once that I can’t catch my breath.”

“An unusual feeling, I’m sure, for someone who doesn’t often get winded,” J’onn said. “I’m sorry if having her here is making this situation more difficult.”

She met his eye and gently smiled. “It has and it hasn’t,” she confided. “I like knowing that she’s safe, and being able to talk to her after so many months apart is…” She lightly dug her thumbnail along a groove in the edge of the table. “I just wish our conversations weren’t so difficult.”

He nodded. “I could always read her mind for you, see how she feels about–“

“No,” Kara interrupted, wide-eyed, and J’onn laughed, clearly joking with her. “No,” she repeated through a smile, relieved. 

“I’ve kept my distance because of the emotions involved,” J’onn said. “I didn’t want to accidentally break my promise to you.”

“I wondered,” Kara said. “Thank you.”

“I also wanted to see how Alex handled the situation. Working with Lena while dealing with how things are with Maggie…” Kara looked surprised and J’onn tilted his head, his voice softening. “There’s never a good time for a crisis, but at the DEO we often need to compartmentalize our private lives and the work we do here.” He stood and placed a hand on Kara’s shoulder. “We’ll find and stop Rikker.”

Kara covered his hand with her own and exhaled, grateful for his support. 

****************************

Kara took a deep breath, her hands flat on her stomach. She was unsusually self-conscious, standing in the hallway of the DEO just before midnight in her costume, but it felt disingenuous to change. She knocked on the lab door before opening it, and walked in to find Lena standing alone by the center table. “Hi,” Kara said softly, walking into the lab. “Is Winn…”

“Asleep in his own bed?” Lena asked without looking over her shoulder as she screwed two small metal pieces together. “He better be or Alex is going to have a fit.” She put the joined piece down and picked up another set of metal pieces, fitting them together carefully.

“But you’re still here,” Kara led, stopping a few feet from Lena’s side.

A wry smile broke on Lena’s lips. “No rest for the wicked.” She met Kara’s eye, before quickly looking away. Lena nodded toward the pile of computers and machine parts on the center table as she stilled her hands. “Someone needs to re-assemble this.”

Kara hesitated. “I’m sorry I didn’t come right back yesterday, after…”

“It’s OK,” Lena said, putting the now joined piece down and busying herself looking at the remaining pieces. “I didn’t expect you to.”

“You didn’t?” Kara asked, her face falling.

Lena shook her head. She opened her mouth like she was going to say something and then thought better of it. She shrugged. “You’re a superhero.” Kara’s brow knit at what that loaded observation may mean. Lena stumbled as she asked, “Is everything all right out there?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, her brow knit as she stared at Lena.

They were quiet for a while as Lena continued to move pieces around. “Where did you go?”

“To check on my cousin.”

“Clark Kent or Superman?” Lena asked, meeting Kara’s eye and raising an eyebrow. She sighed when Kara tensed. “I’m not angry. His identity wasn’t your secret to tell.”

“You figured it out.”

“At a gala in Star City after a horrible run in with a Daily Star reporter,” Lena said, a light blush on her cheeks. “Luckily I was on my way to the ladies room when I did.” She picked up two metal pieces and worked to join them. “I couldn’t imagine what the press pictures of my face would have looked like during my panic attack-inducing realization if I had still been standing next to the reporter.”

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. “Lena, about yesterday–“

Lena stilled her hands. “Do you know why I moved to Star City the way I did?” Lena asked and Kara shook her head no. “Because I thought if I saw you again after our break up I wouldn’t leave.” 

“Oh,” Kara said, clearly surprised.

“I had that Monday press conference in Star City and then I worked in the new office until, god, I don’t know– 10? 11 at night, maybe? And then I went home to a brand new apartment full of things that I had never seen before, poured myself a drink, and Googled Supergirl. I stayed up all night reading about you,” Lena admitted. “All of Cat Grant’s articles, all of the opinion pieces and news reports…”

“And?”

“And it felt like I was reading a comic book,” Lena admitted. “How did my sweatpants-loving, potsticker-eating, robot-dancing ex-girlfriend do all of those things?”

Kara took a deep breath. “Some of the articles, exaggerated, things…”

“And from what I now know about the DEO, there are probably a half dozen more dangerous things that you’ve done that haven’t even made the papers,” Lena said, watching as Kara looked away. Lena scratched her head absently and sighed. “It wasn’t until I saw you floating outside of my office window in Star City that it finally sunk in all the way.” Lena let the silence stretch. “I deleted all of the pictures of you off of my phone that first night I was in Star City.”

Kara looked to the floor, stung.

“All except one,” Lena reluctantly added. “The one from the game night when we finally beat Alex and Maggie at Pictionary, your selfie.” Kara reddened. She remembered the picture, and where Lena’s hands had been when Kara took it. Lena met Kara’s eye. “You saved three people that afternoon who had been in a car accident on the Lopez Bridge, as well as put out a fire at the refinery that had threatened a nearby elementary school. You did all of that while also filing a story on the mayor’s police breakfast and meeting me for lunch.” Lena lightly shook her head. “Supergirl.” 

Kara looked away, uncomfortable with the way that Lena was describing her, as if she were a different person from the person Lena loved. “You know, I realized something yesterday,” Kara said. “After I left, when I was flying.”

Lena waited. 

“When we fought the first day you were here, you said the night we broke up you came over to my apartment expecting to break up with a girl from Midvale.” Kara’s brow quirked. “I didn’t understand until last night that that’s what you needed me to be.” She met Lena’s eye. “How much it probably meant to you that someone normal, just, a girl from Midvale, loved you for you, trusted you when no one else did.”

Lena stayed silent, her acknowledgement of the truth of Kara’s observation written plainly on her face.

“When we broke up, all I could think about was how much you had grounded me in my humanity, and without you I didn’t need to be human,” Kara said. “I never thought that Kara Danvers grounded you in a life outside of being a Luthor. If, by some small miracle, we ever get back together–”

“Kara–”

“I get another shot at humanity if I want it, but you can never get the Kara Danvers you thought I was back.” She paused. “I should have told you that I was Supergirl as soon as we got together.” Kara frowned as she heard her own words spoken aloud. “No, before that. As soon as I knew I had feelings for you. I never should have let you think I was anyone other than this. I’m sorry.”

“I understand why you didn’t–“

“Lena,” Kara said, her eyes pained as she met Lena’s surprised gaze. “Don’t.”

Lena’s chin trembled and she looked determined not to cry as her eyes filled with tears. She eventually dropped her gaze and nodded. “Yeah,” she said, her voice thick. They stood still across from each other for a long while as Lena tried to compose herself, Kara waiting patiently for Lena to lead the conversation. After a long while Lena looked up and swallowed hard, her eyes red-rimmed. “You know Jack proposed to me once.”

Kara felt her stomach bottom out. 

“I said no, obviously,” Lena said, biting the inside of her lip. 

“Why?” Kara asked quietly around the lump in her throat. “You loved him.”

“I did,” Lena said with a slight nod. “But.” She paused, her lips quirking as her emotions swelled. She rolled her eyes at herself. “I was young. My father and Lillian’s marriage was never great, obviously, and I don’t think I believed in marriage then.” She met Kara’s eye. “And then I met you.” Lena’s lips quirked again. “We were sitting on the couch in your apartment watching that horrible romantic comedy about the bride who runs away and you said that you wanted to get married in Midvale.” Lena hesitated. “We had only been dating a couple of weeks, you weren’t talking about us, you were just making a comment, but I could picture it. I could picture you, in the autumn sun with the dress and me–” She stopped herself. “Then later, all those conversations we had…”

“I remember,” Kara said, nodding her head sadly. Tangled up in bed, sweat cooling, fingers intwined. They had started building a future together in the dark with whispers. 

Lena brought her hands together in front of her. “I’m having a very hard time reconciling how I felt in that moment with how things are now, and it makes me so sad.” 

“Me too,” Kara said, her voice emotional. They let the silence sit between them for a long time. “I’ve been blaming Alex for why I didn’t tell you, and there is some truth there, but ultimately it’s on me. I was afraid.”

“Of me,” Lena supplied.

“Of you,” Kara said. “And me.” Lena’s brow quirked. “I was worried about you, what would happen to you if one of my enemies found out that I was Supergirl and used it against you.” Lena’s breath caught at the admission. “And I didn’t know if you would still want to be with me once you knew that I was Supergirl. I was afraid that things between us would change, that you would look at me like you didn’t know me. Like I was different.” 

Lena flushed red. “Because of my alien detection device? Because I think that I’ve shown that my opinions on alien amnesty have changed–“

“It’s different, you know it’s different,” Kara said softly. “It’s not some, hypothetical alien, it’s me. I’m not human, Lena, and there are a million little things–“ She cut herself off and sharply exhaled. “I’m not going to grow old like you.”

Lena nodded her head. 

“I’m always going to feel a responsibility to people—random, anonymous people. And because of that I will always be in danger.” She looked to Lena. “The life we talked about building together was quiet. Crazy,” she smiled and Lena’s lips quirked into an answering sad smile. “But not this,” Kara said. “Not the DEO, not me, like this,” Kara said, weakly picking up the edge of her cape. “I understand that you might want something different. A life that doesn’t include danger and superheroes.” Kara said. “Even if choosing a life without me breaks my heart.”

Lena shook her head. She couldn’t meet Kara’s eye. “Your heart’s too strong to break.”

“No,” Kara whispered. “It’s not.” She smiled sadly but Lena didn’t smile back.

“Why do you do it?” Lena asked.

“Do what?” 

“Help them,” Lena clarified, looking up. “The people you don’t know.”

“Because I can,” Kara replied. “Because I came here to help Kal-El and I couldn’t and that feeling of wanting to help has never left me. I hate feeling powerless. I couldn’t help Krypton, I couldn’t help Kal…” Kara was quiet for a long time. “Why do you help people?”

“Guilt,” Lena said. 

Kara shook her head. “Your latest project in Star City is more than just making amends for Lex.” 

“Not all of my guilt stems from my brother,” Lena said. She caught the perplexed look on Kara’s face. “I may not have done horrible things, but I sure as hell have thought them.”

“We all do that.”

Lena cocked her head in surprise. “You.”

Kara’s lips pulled into a thin line. “I know how dark thoughts can get.”

Lena did a subtle double take. “Well, if that’s true then that’s the first thing you’ve said about helping people that I’ve understood.” Kara frowned.

They both looked up at the knock on the door. 

“Hey,” Alex said, entering the room. “Am I interrupting?”

“No,” Lena said. “Just a short break.” She moved back to face the disassembled device on the center table. Alex looked to Kara before looking to Lena.

“Actually, I’m here to enforce a longer break,” Alex said.

“What?” Lena said, turning and facing her.

“J’onn appreciates how hard you’ve been working, but he’s concerned about your workload.” Alex quickly looked to Kara and then back. “Time to take a break for the night, Lena.”

“I’m sorry, are you telling me to go to bed?” Lena asked with amused disbelief.

“Yes,” Alex said. 

“No,” Lena replied, her amusement evaporating. “I still have work to do.”

“It can wait until morning,” Alex said. 

“You don’t know that,” Lena challenged.

“I do know that the computers show you logged in from your quarters overnight last night–“

“To check on automated process,” Lena argued.

“And unless those check-ins were also automated that means you haven’t slept more than two hours straight in two days,” Alex said. 

“Alex has a point,” Kara said cautiously. “Some rest can’t hurt.” Her eyes went wide when Lena shot her a sharp look of disapproval.

Alex took another step forward. “J’onn isn’t asking, Lena, he’s ordering.”

Lena looked between the two. “I don’t care what he’s doing. I’m not Agent Schott; I don’t work for the DEO. Your boss can’t order me to do anything.”

“No, but he can order this lab closed for the next 8 hours, effective immediately,” Alex said.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am,” Alex said. “Get some rest. Come back at this in the morning with fresh eyes. I’ll even bring you scones from that fancy French bakery near L-Corp for breakfast.”

Lena just glared.

“I’ll walk you to your room,” Kara offered.

“That won’t be necessary,” Lena said. “I know my way.” She brushed out of the room, the door clicking shut and leaving silence behind.

They stood, frozen, before Alex looked to Kara. “So, not good timing.”

“What is good timing?” Kara asked rhetorically with a defeated sigh and Alex winced.

“I’m sorry.”

Kara shrugged. “Thank you,” she said. “She likes to think that she doesn’t need things like sleep or food when she’s working on something important, but–“

“I get it,” Alex said. “We’re both guilty of doing the same, from time to time.”

Kara nodded. “You’re still here,” she said, changing the topic.

“Yeah, I decided to stay here tonight,” Alex said. “I texted with Maggie earlier, briefly, and she said she’d like a little space, so…” 

“Stay at my place tonight,” Kara said reaching forward and gently tugging on Alex’s sleeve. “I could use the company.”

“Are you sure?” Alex said. “You don’t need to go check in on Central City or something?”

“Not tonight,” Kara said, her voice tired. “I honestly just want to get out of this suit, eat a gallon of ice cream then crash.”

“Sounds perfect,” Alex said, and the two sisters left the lab. 

****************************

The DEO was bustling, the smell of morning coffee filling the space. Kara walked down the hallway from the training bay, her ears perking up as she heard heels clicking on the hard floor behind her.

“Kara.” Lena reached out as she got close and gently touched Kara’s arm. Kara turned, her hand turning up to hold Lena’s hand and Lena pulled back as if touching a hot stove. Lena smiled awkwardly as they came to a stop in the hallway. “Um.”

Kara tried to hide her disappointment as she pulled her own hand back. It stung, to be in this limbo, their encounter in the lab still undiscussed. Kara clasped her hands behind her back beneath her cape. 

“I wanted to apologize for last night,” Lena finally said, meeting Kara’s eye. “We were having a conversation and then I was short with you when Alex came in, and you didn’t deserve that.” She rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “I think I was more tired than I realized.” 

“Did you get some sleep?” 

“Yes,” Lena admitted, her hand dropping from her neck to fiddle with the edge of the tablet in her hand. 

“Then no apology necessary,” Kara said softly. “We all get cranky when we’re tired.”

Lena agreed with a wordless nod. 

“Are you headed to the lab right now?” Kara asked. 

“A conference room, actually,” Lena said. “Winn said J’onn has called a status meeting.”

“I’m going to the same meeting.”

“Well, then, we can walk together,” Lena said and they walked quietly to an upstairs meeting room with a frosted glass wall. Kara held the door and Lena lightly blushed, moving into the room and taking a seat next to Winn. Kara took her seat next to Alex across the table and they looked to J’onn. 

“So what do we have?” J’onn asked.

“Rikker is still AWOL,” Alex said. “Last spotted in Metropolis, suspected en route to Opal City. David Decker suspected in Central Mexico, but no sighting as of yet. We have a wide APB out on him just in case he stayed domestic.”

“OK,” J’onn said. “Winn and Lena?”

Winn looked to Lena; she raised her brows encouragingly at him and he spoke. “System failure confirmed on Warsuit weapons mechanism when submerged in water due to a faulty intake seal.”

“And before it’s submerged under water?” J’onn asked.

“Super destructive lasers,” Winn said, trying hard to contain his glee. 

J’onn frowned and Winn swallowed his smile. J’onn looked to Alex. “Anything to add?”

“Yes,” Alex said, looking around the table. “The one thing we’re all thinking: Where is Rikker getting Kryptonite? One of Lex’s vaults?” 

“There was no Kryptonite in any of Lex’s property transitioned to me or L-Corp after his arrest,” Lena said. “And believe me when I say I was thorough when I looked.”

“Your mother indicated in the past that there are vaults you don’t know about,” J’onn said.

Lena nodded. “I have no doubt Lex had secret stashes of god knows what in vaults all over the world. But even in the mountain vault my mother took me to, there was no Kryptonite.”

“Maybe you just didn’t see it,” J’onn said.

“Perhaps, but why would he store it separately from all of his other anti-Kryptonian toys? It would make sense for it to be with things like his Warsuit.” She hesitated. “If Rikker has any, Lex probably made it.” 

“Synthetic Kryptonite,” J’onn said.

Lena nodded, then reluctantly added, “I know I was tempted to try to make some after what happened with Metallo.”

“What?” Kara said, her voice small and surprised.

“Cadmus made synthetic Kryptonite that was ultimately too volatile to exist,” Lena said, her gaze meeting everyone’s eye but Kara’s. “It was my mother’s challenge to us, me and Lex. Luthor hubris: Anything you can do, I can do better. It’s how we were brought up. Endless competition.”

“But you didn’t make Kryptonite,” Alex clarified, her voice just shy of an accusation.

“No,” Lena replied patiently. “But I could, if I wanted to,” she said. “And I think Lex can, too.”

“How stable would it be?” J’onn asked.

“As stable as natural Kryptonite,” Lena said confidently. “If he were able to procure the right materials.”

“And how difficult would that be?” Alex asked.

“For a man in prison who has seemingly been able to do anything he wanted?” Lena asked rhetorically.

“Metallo’s synthetic Kryptonite had a radioactive signature that I could track—maybe Lex’s will, too,” Winn said.

“Don’t count on it,” Lena said and everyone looked to her. “Mine wouldn’t.” 

“OK,” J’onn said. “Winn, continue running a scan for a synthetic Kryptonite signature just to be safe, but baring a miracle, we go on the assumption that Rikker already has undetectable Kryptonite that he can use to make Gold Kryptonite.”

“How will he do that though?” Alex asked. “He has to expose the Kryptonite to the nuclear radiation directly for it to become Gold Kryptonite. How does he do that without dying?”

“Lena’s device,” Kara said. 

“My device doesn’t work, and even if it did, it was nowhere near capable of protecting something as small as a person,” Lena said, her eyes still averted. “Maybe a structure or a vehicle…”

“They wouldn’t have come this far without an endgame,” J’onn said. “Alex, put together an action team with Sterling and Ruiz to work through a few scenarios.”

“OK,” Alex said.

“One more question,” Winn said, everyone looking to him. “Synthetic Kryptonite wasn’t just unstable, it was also only effective at close ranges. If Rikker is using synthetic, maybe his Gold Kryptonite would only work if it got within a few feet of Kara or Superman.”

“So we keep them out of the fight,” Alex said.

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head. “No way. If Rikker is using Lex’s Warsuit you’ll need at least one of the House of El there to help, and I don’t think my cousin is going to make it.”

“Kara’s right,” J’onn said, grudgingly. “Lex Luthor built that suit to take on Superman; we’ll need more than just DEO weaponry to stop it.” 

“But you’ll be there, so it won’t just be DEO weapons,” Alex led, her voice indicating that answering no wasn’t an option. J’onn answered with a nod.

Lena steeled herself for what she was about to say. “I have notes, from right after the Metallo incident about how I would have theoretically improved on my mother’s Kryptonite,” she said, still unable to look at Kara. “The notes are in my National City apartment safe.” She met Alex’s eye. “If you take me, I’ll give you everything I have on it.”

“OK,” Alex said warily and Lena nodded her thanks.

“Anything else?” J’onn asked, casting a wary look at Alex, and everyone shook their heads. “Dismissed,” he said, and everyone stood. 

Lena moved toward the door and Alex stopped her. “I have to take care of something. I’ll meet you downstairs by the bullpen in 15?” Lena nodded. She could feel Kara watching her, feel Kara move toward her. Winn, J’onn and Alex exited the room leaving Kara and Lena standing next to each other in the quiet. 

Lena swallowed hard and then spoke. “Does it scare you that I could make Kryptonite?”

“Kryptonite scares me,” Kara said. 

“That’s not what I asked.”

Kara considered her words. “The idea of anyone being able to make something that can kill me, scares me,” she said and Lena looked away. Kara licked her lips. “Maxwell Lord made a version of Kryptonite a little more than a year ago called Red Kryptonite.” Kara paused, noticing she had captured Lena’s attention. “He thought it would help fight some other Krytonians who were on Earth to do harm. The Red Kryptonite infected me, and I had a very bad reaction to it. It, suppressed my inhibitions, brought every dark thought I’d ever had to the front. I hurt people while I was infected, including Alex.” She looked at Lena, who was trying hard to stay composed. “Those dark thoughts I mentioned yesterday? Came from someone making Kryptonite.”

“I see,” Lena said, her voice raspy.

“Lena, I’m not afraid of you.” Kara frowned when Lena wouldn’t meet her eye. “Are you afraid of me?”

“No,” Lena answered automatically.

“Why?” Kara asked. “I have super strength, I could crush you without even meaning to.”

Lena didn’t reply. 

Kara exhaled, frustrated with her inability to break through. “If I were afraid of the horrible things good people could do, I would be afraid of everyone in this building,” Kara said. When Lena didn’t reply, Kara tried another tack. “My cousin has always described Lex as the smartest human on the planet, but I think that’s because my cousin didn’t know about you.” Kara smiled as Lena finally met her eye. “You’re brilliant, Lena. That you know how to do amazing, incredible, terrifying things shouldn’t surprise me.”

“But it did surprise you,” Lena said. “When I admitted I’d thought about trying. I saw your reaction.”

“Yes,” Kara faltered. “Though, I don’t know why. You’re curious. It’s natural that you wondered if you could do it better.”

“In an alternate reality, we’re probably enemies,” Lena said, still holding Kara’s gaze. 

“Possibly,” Kara said, playing along. “If in that reality I’m infected by Red Kryptonite and you lose your moral compass from one too many concussions.” She smiled. “Come on, Lena. You don’t really think that.”

Lena’s face showed she wasn’t sure.

“OK, if you want to play that game…” Kara said. “In an alternative reality my pod doesn’t get knocked off course and you’re an infant when I land on Earth. Or, Clark raises me and not the Danvers.”

“Or my mother never dies and I don’t go live with the Luthors,” Lena said. She closed her eyes. “I’m tired of being a Luthor.”

The statement struck Kara silent. Lena had never spoken at length about her birth mother, had only ever talked about becoming a Luthor in wry terms. This, this felt different. Kara tentatively placed a hand on Lena’s back and was surprised when Lena turned and folded into her. Kara immediately wrapped her arms around her as Lena did the same, her arms crossing around Kara’s waist beneath her cape. 

Lena’s sob was sudden, and Kara’s arms tightened gently as Lena sagged into her. Kara could feel Lena’s warm gasping breath on her neck, could hear her heart hammering in her chest as she cried. Kara held her until Lena’s tears started to subside and quiet, and her body became less dependent on Kara’s grasp to keep her upright. Kara kissed her hairline and Lena’s hands gripped tighter, desperately at her uniform beneath her cape. Kara nudged Lena’s head, kissing her temple, her cheek. She let go of Lena’s body, bringing her hands up to cup Lena’s cheeks. Kara tilted Lena’s head so her lips were angled up and leaned forward with every intention of kissing her, when Lena stepped back out of her grasp abruptly and turned suddenly, a hand brought to her nose. 

Kara stood, stunned. She could hear Lena’s heart thundering in her chest, see the tremble in the hand that now rested awkwardly on her hip. Kara lowered her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s–” Lena said, her voice muffled in her hand as she wiped at her face. She exhaled sharply and Kara’s eyes took in how Lena’s shoulders squared from behind. “I have to go touch up my make up before I meet Alex.”

“Lena–“

“Thank you,” Lena said, turning, her eyes red rimmed, her cheeks pink. “For the shoulder to cry on.”

“Any time,” Kara murmured and Lena nodded once before exiting the room. Kara stood still in the room and exhaled slowly, hands on her hips, completely unsure where she stood with Lena and how to move forward.

****************************

The ride to Lena’s apartment was quiet, both Alex and Lena lost in their own thoughts. Once inside the apartment, Lena started to walk toward her bedroom, only slowing to a confused stop when Alex hung back by the front door. Lena raised a questioning eyebrow and Alex smiled. “I’ll wait here.”

Lena’s responding look was inscrutable. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

Alex’s brow quirked but she followed, eventually stopping by Lena’s side in front of the safe once it was clear that was what Lena wanted her to do. Lena took a deep breath, opened the safe and held the door wide for Alex to look inside. Alex’s eyebrows rose when she did. “I assume that’s registered?” she asked, looking pointedly at Lena.

Lena rolled her eyes and muttered, “Of course you’d look at the gun.” She met Alex’s eye and cocked her head toward the safe. When Alex stared back at her, blankly, Lena arched her eyebrows. “The box.”

Alex turned her gaze and noticed the small black box in the center of the safe. She looked back to Lena, who again looked to the box and then back to Alex. Alex reached her hand in and opened the lid, revealing a large, brilliant diamond ring. “Oh wow,” Alex breathed out as she removed her hand from the safe.

“I bought it two days after the first attack,” Lena said, looking at the ring with an unreadable expression on her face. “I thought if we were still together a year later I’d give it to her.”

“She gave you a stuffed animal and you bought her an engagement ring,” Alex said with a smirk and Lena looked back, unapologetic. Alex took a measured breath as she evaluated Lena. “Are you asking me for my blessing–“

“No,” Lena interrupted, her jaw tightening and her cheeks flushing. “Nothing like that,” she said quickly, her gaze dropping to the floor. She looked back up and reached inside the safe, closing the lid of the small box with a gentle snap. “I don’t even know why I still have it.” She hesitated as she gathered her thoughts and met Alex’s eye. “You may never like me, Alex, but I hope that you at least trust that I only want what’s best for Kara. All I want is for her to be happy.” 

Alex looked to the safe and then back to Lena. “I guess all secrets in a lead safe don’t mean the end of the world.” Lena nodded sadly. “Thank you for showing me.”

Lena reached inside the safe and took out a small jump drive. She closed the door, the wall sliding back into place. Lena spoke haltingly. “At brunch the other day, Kara said Earth was her favorite planet.” That got Alex’s attention and Lena knowingly met Alex’s eye. “She also said that red sun was overrated and she wouldn’t give flying up for anything.”

“She might for you,” Alex corrected and Lena’s brows came together. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped abruptly when Alex’s head titled slightly, her eyes absently looking at the closet door. “What’s up Winn?” Alex asked and she listened closely to Winn’s voice in her ear, aware all the while of Lena closely watching her profile. “We’ll be right there,” Alex said before she turned back to Lena. “Got everything?” Lena held the drive out and Alex took it. “Thank you.”

“Anything to stop Lex,” Lena said, and the two women headed back to the DEO. 

****************************

Winn looked up from his computer as Alex stopped beside him. “No Lena?”

“She went back to her lab, something about wanting to read a diagnostic printout from the Warsuit tests you ran yesterday. Kara?”

“Forest fire rescue outside of town,” Winn said. “J’onn’s downstairs with Sterling and Ruiz reviewing the various Rikker scenarios.”

Alex leaned her hip against Winn’s desk. “What do you have?” 

“OK. So, I got to thinking about what Lena said about Rikker possibly using a sub. I pulled the sonar data from the Navy and it’s faint, but I think I got a small-craft sub signature moving along the West Coast for the days Rikker would have been in transit between National City and Star City.”

“Lena was right,” Alex said. “Can you use this to–“

“Alex, please,” Winn said with a smile. “I picked up the same signature going from Metropolis to Opal City. So unless that was a feint, I think Rikker is now in Opal City.”

“Winn you’re a genius,” Alex said and he smiled proudly. “Here are Lena’s Kryptonite notes.”

Winn took the drive and plugged it into his computer. “So what’s her place like?” he asked as he navigated the drive’s contents. “I mean, I imagine it’s like a presidential suite at the Bellagio, but with so much advanced tech I’d pass out from envy. Maybe Italian marble accents and laser–“

“Winn,” Alex interrupted.

“Right,” he said. He opened the files and then sat back, his jaw slowly dropping as his eyes scanned the notes. 

“What?” Alex asked, looking from Winn’s face to the writing on the screen.

“I.” He stopped, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to articulate his colliding thoughts. “I didn’t know molecules could bond like that,” he finally sputtered out and Alex peered over his shoulder, her own jaw dropping as she took in Lena’s work. “I am really glad Lena is on our team, because if she wasn’t this would be terrifying,” Winn added. He scrolled through a few more notes, his face brightening as he read. He finally stopped and took a deep breath. “Do you think it would be weird for Kara if I had a little crush on Lena?” Winn asked, swiveling his chair to face Alex. “Just a small one, mostly on her brain.” Alex’s lips pulled into a thin line and Winn frowned. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right, BroTP it is.” He swiveled his chair and pointed at the screen. “If these instructions work, it’s basically a recipe for making natural-grade Kryptonite from Earth-based elements.”

Alex exhaled slowly. “So now the question is: Can Lex do the same thing?”

****************************

Lena finished twisting the last screw in place and sighed. She pressed a few buttons on her computer and watched as the Warsuit’s arm came to life, the fingers flexing around her own. She felt a chill run over her skin, imagining Lex creating this, imagining his plans to wear it to hurt Superman and Kara. 

She played with the arm a little, marveling at the device’s responsiveness and design, running it through a series of tests until she noticed something. She pressed a key combination and startled when her device began to whir and open from its place across the room. In a flash, a force field was projected around the Warsuit like a second skin. She smiled, awed that it worked, and then the smile faded as the implications sunk in. That Lex was the one to fix her device and that he fixed it so he could use it to hurt Kara.

“It’s personalized,” she murmured, her unease starting to grow. “Rikker’s going to walk right into the reactor.”

****************************

J’onn, Kara, Winn and Alex looked up from the central command table at the sound of Lena’s heels clicking rapidly toward them. “I know what Rikker is going to do,” Lena said, her voice a mixture of confidence and fear. “The reason I couldn't get my device to work is because I didn't have the Warsuit—they’re connected. The Warsuit controls the device, and the miniaturization that is included in my device scales the force field to only envelope the Warsuit.” 

“So…” Winn said.

“He's going to wear the Warsuit directly into the reactor core to create Gold Kyrptonite,” Lena said. “The naval base is a decoy, the nuclear materials on a naval submarine too difficult to access.”

“What’s the force field’s range?” Winn asked.

“200 meters?” Lena speculated.

“Line of sight?” Winn asked.

Lena shrugged and J’onn frowned.

Alex stepped forward. “If if we take out the Warsuit, we take out his protection–“

“And he dies,” Kara said, frowning at Alex.

“It won’t be easy to disable the Warsuit,” Lena said. “The whole suit could, should, be veined in Kryptonite. It’ll practically glow green if fully-functional. I don’t know if you’ll be able to get near him,” she said, casting a worried look at Kara.

“Winn made Kara an anti-Kryptonite device,” Alex said.

“And no offense to Agent Schott but my brother made the Warsuit and I’m not sure there’s much competition there,” Lena said, her nerves making her voice steely.

“Hey,” Winn replied with a petulant look.

“Winn is brilliant,” Alex cut in.

“And Lex is insane,” Lena bit, her features sharp and eyes wide.

“OK,” Kara said, stepping forward in an attempt to calm things down. 

“My brother wants one thing in the world,” Lena said, looking around Kara to the others assembled. “To kill aliens, specifically Kryptonians, and it’s that single-minded mania that is going to get–“ She cut herself off and inhaled sharply, looking to the floor. 

“What Kryptonite weaponry does the suit have,” Kara asked calmly. She stood inches from Lena, and Lena looked up, surprised by the tone and question. Kara lifted her eyebrows, urging Lena to answer and Lena took a long, shuddering breath.

“The suit has an energy blade made of Kryptonite-fueled plasma. There are Kryptonite Energy spikes under his right arm and Rikker may be carrying an axe or spear that is made of Kryptonite, though I only know that because I saw a prototype with the Warsuit prototype my mother had when she kidnapped me last year,” Lena said.

Kara nodded. “OK,” she said softly. She looked over her shoulder at J’onn. “We can handle that.”

Lena cocked her head. “Kara–“

“I’ve fought Kryptonite weaponry before,” Kara said as she turned back to face Lena, and she watched as that hit Lena squarely. “We’ll be careful.”

Lena swallowed hard, her face drawn. “Promise?”

Kara nodded her head, the moment significant between them. 

Winn’s head whipped around as his computer alarm sounded. “Radioactive Kryptonite signature hit,” he said, moving quickly to his computer. He pulled up a map. “Opal City—Rikker’s outside of the containment facility at the nuclear power plant.” He swiveled in his chair and looked awe-struck at Lena. “Lex’s Kryptonite is almost exactly like Cadmus’s.”

Lena’s heart was in her stomach; she couldn’t feel pride that her Kryptonite was superior. 

“We go now,” J’onn said to Kara as he transformed into his Martian self. 

Kara nodded. She turned to Alex. “Call Lois. Tell her that if she can reach Kal-El to tell him where we are and what we’re doing.”

“OK,” Alex said, licking her lips. “Be careful.”

“Always,” Kara said with a confident smile and Alex’s lips drew into a tight line. Kara stepped forward and they hugged tightly. Kara stepped back and looked to Winn—they nodded at each other and Kara exhaled. She exhaled again and turned to Lena, who looked at her with lips quirked and eyes filling with tears. “It’s going to be OK,” Kara said softly.

“Promise?” Lena asked, her voice thick and Kara could only nod, though her earlier confidence was gone. Kara flexed her hands and then sighed, shaking her head. She set her lips into a determined line and then stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Lena, who hugged her back tightly. 

They stayed like that for a long moment until J’onn spoke, his voice gentle. “Kara.”

She nodded and swallowed hard, stepping out of Lena’s embrace. “See you guys in a little bit,” she said with a slight smile. She picked up a small device from a nearby chair and turned, walking with J’onn to the stairs. She put the device to her chest and pressed a button as the climbed they stairs, grunting a little as four straps unfurled and wrapped around her body and cinched in the back beneath her cape, holding the device tight against her chest in a criss-cross pattern. 

She looked to J’onn and he nodded. “Better uncomfortable–“

“Yeah, yeah,” she said with a grumble and they took off, flying through the open window. 

Lena watched them go, trying to ignore the tremble in her hands and the crushing feeling of her heart smashing against her ribcage. She took a deep, calming breath and turned back to Winn and Alex, her face all business. “What does direct radiation exposure do to Kara?” 

“Minimal damage,” Alex said, slipping into command control mode and Lena’s brow furrowed. 

Winn noted Lena’s unease and spoke up. “She fought Reactron and survived.”

“Reacton,” Lena said, her mind racing to remember the news articles she’d read about Supergirl’s previous foes.

“Bad guy who wanted to kill Superman,” Winn said quickly, realizing that Lena might not be as informed as he assumed about Kara’s many adventures. “From before you moved here; he wore a mechanical suit, shot nuclear power blasts.”

“At Kara,” Lena said, trying hard to keep the horror and worry out of her voice as she remembered the CatCo piece on that particular fight. 

“She was fine,” Alex said. She took a step toward the center circular console. “Kara, J’onn? What’s your ETA?” She listened as their voices replied over the comms. Alex turned to Lena. “They’re 5 minutes out.”

“I want one,” Lena said, nodding toward Alex’s ear and Alex frowned. “Alex, I can help, give me a comm.” Winn looked between them uneasily. Alex finally relented, nodding and Winn sprang to his feet, coming back with a small ear piece. “Thank you,” Lena said before fitting the device into her ear. 

“Just keep quiet unless it’s a question about the devices that Winn can’t answer,” Alex warned and Lena’s lips pulled into a thin line. “The last thing we need is for Kara to be distracted.” Lena frowned at the observation, and Alex took a deep breath. “OK, team. Here we go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story obviously goes with Lena's depiction of Lex in S2, not what has been revealed in S4. :)


	10. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara had seen a version of the Warsuit before of course, when Lex wore it as he squared off against Superman in Metropolis years ago. But to see it now up close, making a human into something far greater than he was naturally, made her shift nervously in place. 
> 
> “You?” Rikker asked, a smile playing over his lips. “With the story in the Daily Planet, I thought it would be your cousin.”

The din in the control room was disorienting. Lena looked around and marvled at the normalcy of it all, the way everyone went about their business as if this were a regular occurance, supporting Supergirl as she headed off to battle against a Kryptonite-wielding Luthor acolyte. The fact that it might be a regular occurance stopped Lena short. She looked to Alex, standing calmly by the center table, and her nerves compelled Lena to speak. “What does radiation do to J’onn?” Lena asked as she started to pace slightly behind the table.

“Minimal damage,” Alex replied, looking at the screen in front of her.

Lena stopped and wrung her fingers in front of her. “Aren’t you supposed to be calling Lois Lane?”

Alex exhaled through her nose and turned to face Lena with a patient, annoyed stare.

“I just did,” Winn said, looking between the two and waving his phone. 

“When we run an operation, I stay focused on the objective,” Alex said, her words measured. “You’re welcome to stay here, Lena, but second guessing or questioning everything we do–“

“Understood,” Lena said curtly and Alex continued to stare. Lena looked away, her eyebrows raising, and Alex turned back to the center console. 

“Kara?” Alex asked and Lena’s motions stilled as she realized Kara and J’onn were almost to their desitnation.

“We see him,” Kara confirmed and Winn, Alex and Lena couldn’t help but tense. 

“Kara can you set your comms to wide?” Alex asked.

“Yup,” came the quick reply.

Lena took a hesitant step forward. “What does that–”

“We hear what she hears,” Alex said briefly. “Thanks, Kara.” Alex sighed, quietly. “Be careful,” she said, her voice just above a whisper. Alex, Winn and Lena looked to the center screen and waited for J’onn and Kara’s next move. 

******************************

Kara and J’onn landed heavily between Rikker and the reactor, the ground shaking slightly beneath their feet. Rikker looked to them, the Warsuit encasing his body making mechanical sounds as he turned to faced them. Kara’s gaze was critical as she took the suit in, the metal sporting a dark purple glint with green accents, some glowing brightly and recognizably as Kryptonite. The suit was massive. Kara had seen a version of the Warsuit before of course, when Lex wore it as he squared off against Superman in Metropolis years ago. But to see it now up close, making a human into something far greater than he was naturally, made her shift nervously in place. 

“You?” Rikker asked, a smile playing over his lips. “With the story in the Daily Planet, I thought it would be your cousin.”

“You don’t have to do this,” Kara said, her hands held in loose fists by her side, and Rikker smirked. “We know that Lex hurt you in the past,” she said, referencing the intel that Lex had given Rikker the scar. “If he has something on you, is blackmailing you into doing this–“

“Are you talking about this?” Rikker interrupted, pointing to his face. “Do you know why Lex gave it to me? Because he caught me using LuthorCorp technology to rob banks.” Kara and J’onn looked surprised. “Metropolis, Gotham, Star City—they’re riddled with underground tunnel systems thanks to Prohibition and I figured out a way to flood the tunnels and bring a sub I was designing right up under the bank’s vaults.” Rikker paused. “At first I thought Luthor was angry that I was amassing a small fortune; paranoid that I was going to start my own company and take my ideas with me. Become a competitor that would steal some of his glory.” Rikker smirked. “But after this,” he said, pointing to his face. “I saw it for what it really was. Fear. The great Lex Luthor was afraid that Superman was going to find out about my side gig, and that would bring attention to what Lex was planning for Earth’s aliens.”

“So you’re a criminal,” Kara ground out.

“A criminal,” Rikker said with a smile, as if the descriptor was quaint. “In the good old days before aliens, Lex wouldn’t have been afraid. Annoyed, angry maybe, sure, but not afraid. A man of his means and influence could have just paid off the police if I had been caught. But now, with you and your self-righteous cousin acting as judge and jury–” He cut himself off. “Lex could have cast me aside after this,” Rikker said, pointing to his face. “But instead, he set me up with a place to live, he gave me a salary and told me about his plan to rid the world of your kind once and for all.” 

“A criminal and a devotee,” J’onn said and Rikker smiled as wide as his scar would allow.

“You know what I got when Lex was arrested? A briefcase full of cash with a card inside that said, ‘Wait.’” Rikker’s smile was cruel. “We’re done waiting.” He shook his head, his lips twisting. “You never should have come to our planet.” He threw his right hand out from his body. A glowing green sword instantly appeared in his hand and Kara couldn’t help but take a small step back as she recognized it for what it was: a Kryptonite plasma blade. “Sorry sweetheart, but Lex’s only instruction for when I kill you and your cousin was to ‘make it hurt.’”

******************************

Winn sat at his desk and looked at a map pulled up on his screen. A blinking red spot solidified as the location it was marking became more precise. “J’onn,” Winn said over the comms. “I think the Kryptonite is in the reactor already.” He met Alex’s eye and she nodded to him.

******************************

“Go, find the Gold Kryptonite,” Kara said quietly to J’onn. “I’ll keep Rikker busy.”

J’onn frowned, unhappy to leave Kara, but he agreed with a curt nod. He turned and ran into the reactor.

“What are you wearing?” Rikker asked, starting to pace back and forth, an amused smile curling his lips as he took in the apparatus on Kara’s chest. “Is that supposed to protect you from this?” he asked, waving the green blade extending from his right arm.

Kara’s fists tightened by her side. “We will stop you.”

“Oh I have no doubt you’ll try your very hardest,” Rikker said. “That’s what will make this fun.”

******************************

J’onn entered the reactor and pulled up short. A green lump of Kryptonite about the size of a fist featuring a faint gold sheen sat inside a glass tube on top of a small metal cube with mesh walls, wires protruding from the sides. The contraption sat on top of the reactor’s partially submerged fuel rods, and J’onn frowned as he took it all in. “What…” he paused and exhaled. “Alex, I need to show you all something.”

******************************

“Go ahead,” Alex said and she, Winn and Lena all simultaneously flinched as J’onn projected an image of what he had just seen into their minds. Winn and Alex’s brows knit. “What is that?” Winn asked.

Alex reached over to the comms control and took Kara’s earpiece offline for the discussion. “It’s a bomb,” Alex replied confidently once she was sure Kara wouldn’t hear. She flinched when Lena was suddenly by her side, confidently pressing her comms control button.

“Don’t touch that,” Lena instructed J’onn sharply, her eyes wide. “That belongs to Lex. If it goes off it will irradiate the Earth’s atmosphere with Gold Kryptonite.”

“Irradiate,” Winn said, his head snapping toward her. “That’ll take their powers instantly.”

“It’s sadistic,” Lena said, her lips pulling into a tight line, her neck flushing with anger. “Lex could have made the planet uninhabitable for them by irradiating Kryptonite but instead–“

“He’s taking their powers so they’ll be vulnerable,” Alex finished. 

“Of all of the psychopathic, vengeful things my brother has done–“

“Wait, wait,” Winn interjected, worried. “The reactor—if it blows–“

“There won’t be an explosion,” Lena said quickly. “An explosion would–“

“Incinerate the Kryptonite so it wouldn’t be able to disperse,” Winn finished and Lena nodded. 

“How do we deactivate it?” Alex asked.

“Short of me being there to do it…” Lena said, at a momentary loss for words before a thought crashed into her head. “Lead.”

“Lead… what,” Alex urged.

“They need to encapsulate the device in lead,” Lena said. “It will act as a radiation shield, absorb and scatter the irradiated Kryptonite’s photons.” Her brow furrowed. “But they’ll also need to submerge the device in water, or add a layer of concrete–”

“In case of neutron raditation,” Winn said. 

“If the device is on top of the fuel rods, he could submerge the device in water, which will act as a shield,” Alex said.

“Two forms of shielding is a minimum of what he should do,” Lena said, her eyebrow raising, her voice tight with worry.

“Did you hear that, J’onn?” Alex asked and he answered in the affirmative.

“Like Reactron,” Winn added.

“Like Cherynobl,” Lena said, ignoring Winn’s comment. “You need to create a sarcophagus around Lex’s device with two forms of shielding: lead walls and concrete or water.”

“Like Reactron if that whole deal was also underwater,” Winn repeated and Lena gave him a sharp look. “Trust me, he gets it.”

“The sarcophagus’s walls need to be thick,” Lena continued. She looked to Winn, her eyebrows raised and he quickly licked his lips.

“So, probably more lead than Reactron,” he sputtered and Lena’s lips pulled into a thin line.

“How thick?” J’onn asked, his voice testy.

“Two feet, minimum,” Winn quickly said. 

“Understood,” J’onn said. “Find me lead, Agent Schott.” 

Winn nodded sharply and quickly moved to his computer console. He typed furiously and then with a flourish leaned back with a sigh. “I just sent you the four biggest scrap metal companies in the area.”

“Let’s hope it’s enough,” J’onn said, and Winn and Alex looked to each other nervously.

“Wait,” Lena said. “Can you send me an image of the Warsuit?” There was silence. “Hello?” Lena asked and then she suddenly winced as an image entered her brain of Rikker in the Warsuit squared off opposite Kara.

“Anything else?” J’onn asked gruffly.

“No,” Lena replied, her voice shaky.

“Good luck,” Alex said and they heard the sound of him taking to the air. 

Lena closed her eyes and pictured the image J’onn had sent, trying to ignore the fear she felt at seeing Kara facing off against a man holding a Kryptonite blade. Lena’s brow deeply furrowed and she opened her eyes, seeking out Winn. “Get me a work station,” she said darkly, as she removed her heels and ran from the room.

Winn and Alex looked back to each other and Winn sprang to his feet, setting up the computer at the desk nearest to his as Alex brought Kara’s earpiece back online.

******************************

Kara looked up as J’onn flew away, and then returned her gaze to Rikker. “Everything OK?” Kara asked and she heard Alex speak clearly and calmly.

“J’onn’s gone for lead to encapsulate the Gold Kryptonite.” Kara nodded and licked her lips. It made her nervous to know that the Gold Kryptonite existed and was close by. 

“Looks like your green friend has left you all by your lonesome,” Rikker taunted.

Kara shrugged, the look on her face impassive.

“No reaction?” he asked. “I thought the whole, House of El thing was ’stronger together’. Guess not.”

“I don’t need anyone else to help me stop you and your toy suit.”

“A version of this ‘toy suit’ drew Superman’s blood,” Rikker said. Kara’s lips thinned. “Lex would have won if the suit hadn’t malfunctioned.”

Kara tried not to show the concern on her face.

“You Supers,” Rikker continued, shaking his head. “So cocky. I’ve been one step ahead of you this entire time and yet you still think you have an advantage. Why? Because of your alien biology, your gift from our yellow sun? This suit makes me just as powerful as you.”

“Power isn’t everything.”

“But it’s a lot,” he said. He looked down at his body, flexing the gloved fingers on his left hand before rotaing his arm to look at the weapons situated there. “It’s beautiful. Lex really is a gifted engineer.” He rose an eyebrow. “I mean, it’s a sublime piece of machinery.” 

“You really like the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” Kara asked, clearly not impressed. 

He laughed and then ducked his head. “Gotta like yourself if you ever want to get anywhere important.” He sighed and then clucked his tongue. “But if you’d rather just get to the part where I kill you, I mean, who am I to say no?”

Kara flexed her jaw. 

******************************

Lena reentered the room slightly winded, and Winn pointed to the computer nearest his. She rushed to it and plugged in a jump drive, typed a few commands and then pulled up a directory; she clicked and a model of Lex’s Warsuit popped up. “The arrogance in Rikker’s voice,” she muttered as Winn and Alex watched her. “I’d bet L-Corp that he’s made modifications to Lex’s suit.”

“What kind of modifications?” Alex asked.

Lena shrugged. She looked at the Warsuit on the screen in front of her then stood, brushing past Alex at the center console quickly and tapping the comms link. “Kara,” Lena said.

“Lena?” Kara asked over the comm, her voice clearly surprised to hear her voice. 

“What are you doing?” Alex whispered tightly and Lena waved her off, returning to her work station.

“The suit that Rikker is wearing—does the purple plate come up over the knee or is it segmented?”

“Lena,” Alex gritted and Lena again waved her off.

“Uh, it’s segmented,” Kara said and Lena exhaled. 

“And the area around the neck, does it come up high behind the head or stop at the base of the skull?”

“It stops, like a collar.”

“OK,” Lena said, settling into her chair. “Kara, I want you to perform a diagnostic.”

“A what?”

“Fly,” Lena said.

******************************

“Uh, OK,” Kara replied and she took to the sky, stopping and hovering about 20 feet off the ground. Rikker’s lips curled into a cruel smile and seconds later he was in the sky at a similar height, rocket boosters crackling under his feet. “He’s flying.”

“Go higher,” Lena replied. “As high as he’ll follow you.”

“What if he doesn’t–”

“Fly, Kara,” Lena said sternly.

“OK,” Kara said and she shot into the air. Seconds later, just above the tropopause, Rikker appeared, a clear helmet covering his face. “He’s wearing a helmet to breathe but he’s here.”

“Good. Go back to ground and wait,” Lena said. “When he lands, tell me how the segments around his head and legs change.”

“Got it,” Kara said. She smirked at Rikker and shot back toward the ground. She barely had time to turn and watch as he landed several feet away with a thud, the ground cracking slightly beneath his feet. “The helmet retracts to the back and the segments along his legs close.”

“Reporting back to the brains in your operation,” Rikker said as he walked in a lazy arc. “It won’t help you.”

“Kara.”

“Yeah?” Kara asked, watching Rikker as he smirked.

There was a brief pause and Kara could picture Lena’s brow coming together as she considered her words. “Do you feel the effects of the Kryptonite?”

“No,” Kara replied, looking at Rikker warily. She tucked her chin to her shoulder and whispered. “I’m wearing Winn’s thingy.”

“Can you–” Lena’s voice paused. “Can you determine how close you can get before the Kryptonite effects you?”

“Don’t take Winn’s device off, Kara,” Alex commanded and Kara frowned as she squared herself against Rikker again.

“It’s OK, Alex,” Kara said, gritting her teeth. She discretely pressed a button on her chest and swallowed hard. She strode forward and then stopped a little more than a meter away, wincing. She immediately flew back to where she previous stood and turned her back to Rikker, tapping the device to turn it back on as she scrunched up her face, trying to forget the pain. “About four feet,” she said just above a whisper, gritting her teeth. She took a quick breath and then turned back to face him. He was smirking at her, and for the first time since she’d faced off against him, she felt a stab of fear. 

******************************

“Metallo,” Winn said to Alex, and Alex nodded. Off of Lena’s look, Winn expanded. “If Lex didn’t get the Kryptonite from Lillian, he’s working from a similar recipe.”

Lena tightened her jaw.

“There’s a buzzing sound,” Kara said and Alex, Lena and Winn all looked to each other.

“What kind of buzzing?” Alex asked.

“I don’t know, like, a really insisitent buzzing, like, a mechanical cicada. I can’t figure out where it’s coming from.”

“Winn,” Lena said, turning to face him. “The device.”

“On it,” Winn said, standing and sprinting out of the room. 

******************************

“Enough games,” Rikker said, rolling his shoulders, the suit’s mechanical sounds whirring as he moved. He waved the blade in his hand, pointing it at Kara. “Let’s see what will happen when I sink this right through that pretty crest on your chest.” He lunged forward in attack and Kara paried his blow, rolling to a safe distance and popping to her feet. He paused, noting that this time the proximity to the Kryptonite didn’t make her recoil before he continued his attack, moving with a fluidity that surprised Kara given the size of the suit. 

******************************

Lena and Alex tensed as they heard the fight through the line. When there was a brief pause, Alex spoke. “Kara, are you OK?” 

******************************

“Fine,” Kara replied, nimbly avoiding another attack. “Just keeping him busy.”

******************************

Winn ran back into the room. “The device buzzes at an ultrasound frequency that Kara can hear. If there are any gerbils nearby they are probably freaking out.”

Alex rolled her eyes and turned back to the console. “Kara, Winn thinks the sound that you’re hearing is Lena’s device.”

“How can I find it?”

Alex looked to Lena and Winn, who looked to each other. “Look up,” Lena said, and Winn nodded that it was as good a guess as any. 

******************************

Kara launched into the air and started to fly around the reactor site, looking for the device, Rikker taking to the sky after her. She took three brisk turns around the grounds, but there was still no sign of the device, and Rikker was growing impatient. Kara saw his snarl intensify and in an instant he stopped chasing her and took the fight directly to her. The furiousity and skill he exhibited surprised her, and she abandoned her search for the device to face off more fully with Rikker in the sky.

******************************

Lena looked at the specs on the screen before her and worked through some calculations, trying to ignore the brutal sounds coming through the line. She quickly glanced at Alex, who was calmly following the fight from her position at the center table, and Lena was grateful that Kara had her sister with her in these moments. Lena turned her attention back to her computer, and satisfied with her work, spoke. “Kara, the warsuit weighs almost 2,000lbs.” 

“Are you sure,” Kara said, and they heard her grunt and move. “He’s pretty spry for a heavy guy.”

“The suit is rigged with something like hydrolics,” Lena said, her eyes studying the schematics in front of her. “It disperses the weight, carries the load. If you can strategically disable the mechanisms–”

“Got it,” Kara said. “Just tell me where to aim.”

“Start with force to the back of the knees, just behind the back mounted purple plate shaped like a cresent,” Lena said confidently. She looked to Alex and Alex nodded, approving of the plan. 

******************************

Kara punched Rikker solidly and he crashed to Earth, dirt flying up around him as the force of his landing caused his body to burrow slightly in the ground. She landed near him and he sprung to his feet, backing up slowly as he reconnoitered for his next attack. They were just about to start up again when a heavy thud sounded to their left and they both looked with surprise to see that Superman had landed nearby. “Cousin,” he said with a pleasant smile and Kara couldn’t help but smile in return. “I heard you might need a little help.”

“Eh, I don’t know,” Kara said, brushing her hair from her face. “I think I’m doing all right. Good to see you though.” Superman smiled and Rikker turned and spit on the ground at their feet. Kara looked back to him, eyebrows raised. “Rude.”

“I’d say like your mother, but she’s as dead as your planet,” Rikker replied and both Kara and Superman’s eyes started to glow. “Touch a nerve?” Rikker asked and he smirked as their heat vision blasts curved around his body, repelled by an invisible force field. Their heat vision cut off abruptly and both Kara and Superman flexed their jaws in frustration. 

“Alex,” Kara said, her tone bordering snippy. “Please tell Lena that the suit protects against heat vision.”

******************************

Alex looked over her shoulder, eyebrows raised, and Lena nodded, her lips turned into a worried frown. “Noted,” Alex replied calmly, looking back to the table in front of her. 

******************************

“Lena?” Rikker asked as he laughed. “You have Luthor’s little sister helping you?” He laughed again. “Oh, that’s hilarious.”

Kara caught Superman’s quizical look and she looked back to Rikker. “And why is that funny?” 

“Because that means it might hurt her when you die,” Rikker said, and Kara’s fists tightened at her side again. “These unexpected bonuses keep popping up and I’m like…” he laughed again. “I dunno. Giddy.”

Kara snarled. She took one step toward Rikker and stopped, looking over her shoulder as J’onn dropped a large pile of metal on the other side of the reactor. Kara’s jaw set and she looked to Superman. “Go help J’onn.”

“Are you sure–”

“Positive,” Kara said, turning back to Rikker. “I’ve got this.”

Superman nodded. He clearly didn’t want to leave, but jogged away as told.

******************************

Superman came around the side of the reactor to find J’onn staring at the heap of scrap metal before him. “How can I help?”

“Melt those pieces into panels so we can create a sarcophagus,” J’onn said and Superman braced himself, his eyes glowing red, before going to work.

******************************

Kara and Rikker settled into a ferocious battle, her blows aiming for the back of his knees every chance she got, his blows aiming for the device situated in the center of her chest. When she took to the air he followed, and when she used her superspeed he anticipated with well-placed laser blasts that caused her to bob and weave erratically.

“Lena,” she said, her voice strained from effort.

“I’m here,” Lena answered quickly.

“I can’t get to the back of his knees, there’s too much armor and without my heat vision…” Kara said, grunting as she spun to avoid another laser blast. “Is there any other weakness I can exploit?”

“One moment,” Kara heard and she shot straight up into the sky, her eyes trained on the ground to make sure Rikker followed. When he did she slowed, floating just under the clouds. 

“I can crush you up here, too, space girl,” Rikker snarled through the glass protecting his face as he came to a stop before her. Kara’s lips thinned. 

“Kara?”

“Yeah,” Kara responded, the sound of Lena on the line giving her strength. “Aim for the panel along his ribcage below his left arm.”

“Where the Kryptonite spikes are?” Kara asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Lena replied.

“Got it.”

******************************

“Will that work?” Alex asked Lena, her body taut as she looked over her shoulder, and Lena’s jaw tensed.

“I hope so,” she said with a raised eyebrow. 

“Winn?” Alex asked, anxiously turning her gaze to him.

“She knows the suit,” he said, casting a reassuring look to Lena before he looked back to Alex. Alex nodded and turned back to the center console. Winn met Lena’s eye and she nodded her thanks. He smiled in reply before turning back to his display. 

******************************

Kara tensed and she shot back to the ground, turning just as Rikker was about to land, and she shot back up, hitting him hard on the side. He spun slightly out of control, yet before she could asses whether she damaged the Warsuit he spun and punched her hard across the face, sending her skidding across the dirt. She sat up and did a double take; her new point of view on the ground looking up revealed a dull square of gray metal mesh atop a nearby crane. She squinted, attempting to see what was inside only to be thwarted by the dense material. “Lead,” she whispered. She snapped her head and rolled away just before Rikker could stab the ground where she had just laid with his blade. 

Kara took to the sky and turned her heat vision on the square. She went to work melting it while avoiding Rikker, his attacks becoming more urgent as she worked. A thick piece of the melted metal slid from the side of the square, exposing a slightly different looking version of Lena’s device inside. Kara smiled triumphantly. “Gotcha.” She aimed her heat vision at it and with a quick concentrated stream, destroyed the device. 

Rikker screamed, enraged, and went at Kara with everything he had. “You think that will stop me?” he yelled, knocking her backwards and onto the ground. He barely missed her head with a heavy stomp of his foot as she rolled away. “I don’t need to come out of this alive as long as you both die.”

She waited patiently on her back, and when he came upon her again she turned and hit his rib area with freeze breath and then punched up into the frozen metal with all of her might. There was a popping sound and a loud whine, and Rikker’s left arm fell limp at his side, the suit’s load-bearing mechanism broken, the Warsuit’s metal wrapping his left arm now a heavy weight. He turned and grimaced, then quickly adjusted the controls on his right arm, Kara watching closely. The heavy panels of the Warsuit’s left arm fell away, exposing his arm wrapped in a synthetic material that Kara guessed was bullet-proof. Kara’s lips went thin and she worked on her next line of attack. 

******************************

J’onn grabbed the crudely constructed panels of lead as soon as they were formed, still red hot, and carried them into the reactor. He carefully placed them around the device one-by-one. Once he fit the last into place, he called to Superman. “Stand in the doorway and melt the seams so they fit more securely.” Superman did as told, wary of the faint gold glow eminating from the narrow seams. J’onn carefully turned the newly forming box, mindful that they couldn’t create a complete cube without disturbing the device below what they had fashioned. J’onn pressed a button on the wall and lowered the fuel rods into the water, part of the device and sarcophagus sitting just above the surface. He frowned. 

“What?” Superman asked.

“The top of the sarcophagus needs to be covered in water or cement.”

Superman nodded. He left the room at superspeed and then quickly reappeared, a large drum of wet concrete under his arm. He flew just above the sarcophagus and poured the concrete over the top, the mixture sliding around the crude structure like hot fudge on a sundae. Superman quickly blew with his freeze breath, freezing the liquid concrete in place. He disappeared and reemerged quickly, his hands now free. “Will this work?”

“I hope so,” J’onn said gruffly. He exhaled and looked to Superman. “I’ll need help holding the sarcophagus in place in case there’s an explosion.”

“Just tell me where to stand,” Superman replied, coming more fully into the room.

******************************

Rikker knocked Kara aside and she crashed heavily against the side of an 18 wheel truck, her body denting the truck’s empty steel tank before she richocheted off and landed face first in the dirt. He swung at her with his blade as she darted away, but she wasn’t quick enough, and the blade connected with the edge of Winn’s device. With a flurry of sparks it died, and she cried out, the pain of the Kryptonite exposure lancing through her as she was exposed to the blade’s proximity. Rikker laughed, full and throaty, and she used his paused effort to fly weakly away. He allowed her to get a few feet away before he started to follow her like a predator waiting for wounded prey to tire and collapse. He laughed as he followed her, aware from her slowing, unsteady gait—now too weak to fly—that he was finally gaining the upper hand. It was only a matter of time before she was so weakened by the Kryptonite that he could finish her and turn his attention to the two aliens inside the reactor.

******************************

“Kara, what’s happening?” Alex said, her voice stressed as she heard Kara’s labored breathing. “Kara?” Alex’s fingers gripped the edge of the center console table as Kara cried out in pain, her breath coming in heavy pants. “J’onn, what’s happening?”

******************************

J’onn gritted his teeth and Superman looked to the door of the reactor, concern etched on his face. “I need to help her.”

“I don’t know if I can hold the containment piece myself if there is an explosion,” J’onn admitted, ignoring Alex’s increasingly frantic voice in his ear.

J’onn and Superman both heard Kara scream in pain and Superman’s face contorted. “I can’t leave her out there alone,” he said, looking to J’onn. “I’m sorry.”

“If I can’t hold the sarcophagus in place, you and Kara will both lose your powers,” J’onn said.

“And she may hate me if that happens, but at least she’d be alive,” Superman countered.

J’onn frowned but nodded. He repositioned his hands and Superman let go, running with superspeed from the building. 

Superman came around the back of the reactor and stopped, seeing Rikker standing over Kara with the glowing green Kryptonite blade positioned just over her chest. Superman started to run toward Rikker but stopped as if struck several feet from the building. He looked around wildly, realzing in his haste to get to Kara that he’d triggered a booby trap and a sound grenade’s piercing shriek now cut through the air. Superman reeled back and dropped to the ground, kneeling in agony as the sound tore through his head. He pressed his hands against his ears, trying to block the sound to no avail. He squinted through the pain at Rikker and Kara across the open space.

Rikker turned from Kara, ignoring her gasping breaths and the way she weakly clawed for purchase on the ground to try and crawl away. “I’ve wanted this for a long time,” Rikker muttered and he advanced on Superman, finally coming to a stop and towering over him in the Warsuit. He pulled the plasma blade above his head to strike, and Superman’s reactions were sluggish and awkward as he held up his hand up for protection, the combination of sound and Kryptonite exposure dulling his motion. “Finally,” Rikker said, smiling cruely. “I get to do something that even the great Lex Luthor couldn’t do.”

Before Rikker could drive his blade down into Superman’s body, Kara sped between the two men in a flash. She grimaced and grabbed the blade between her hands, holding it high despite the pain it obviously inflicted on her. “I came here to protect him,” she said through clenched teeth. Her eyes lit up, and in a violent blast, she screamed as she hit Rikker with her heat vision, and everything on site went white. 

******************************

The comms screeched in their ears before going dead, and Winn, Lena and Alex recovered from the sound slowly, rubbing their ears as they looked to each other with wide eyes. “Kara,” Alex tried as she realized something horrible had happened. “Kara, can you hear me? Kara?”

The silence stretched between them for an agonizing long moment. “J’onn?” Alex tried. She paced. “Kara, J’onn? Report back.” She turned away from Winn and Lena and gripped the edge of the table, her fingers once again turning white. “Report back, over.”

“What do you think happened?” Winn asked quietly and neither Lena nor Alex could speak, both too shocked and scared to give voice to their thoughts. 

The last words Kara had spoken before the comms went dead swirled in Lena’s mind, and she felt like she was simultaneously floating outside of her body and being drowned with weights in the sea. She looked around the room—at Winn’s panicked face, at the concerned crinkle in Alex’s brow—and Lena held her breath, waiting, waiting for the sound of Kara’s voice to fill her ear. When it didn’t come right away, when J’onn’s voice didn’t fill the void either, she felt the very real horror settle into her bones that all those fears she’d had about losing Kara to her brother’s violence might actually come true. 

They all looked up, startled, a minute later as Superman flew erratically into the building through the open window. He landed at the base of the stairs, Kara cradled limp in his arms. “She needs help,” he called across the room breathlessly. His hair was mussed and his eyes wide. He looked terrified and Lena felt her entire world tilt. 

“What happened?” Alex said, sprinting toward the stairs. She skidded to a stop before him, her hands reaching for Kara.

“You don’t look good,” Winn observed as he ran toward Superman, Lena at his side. Lena stumbled to a stop behind Alex and her eyes went wide. Superman was struggling to hold Kara, his jaw clenched with effort.

“She solar flared and was struck by a piece of Kryptonite,” he said, his arms sagging slightly under Kara’s weight. He gently rolled Kara’s head to the side and revealed a shard of Green Kryptonite embedded in her neck, and Alex gasped, her hands gently resting on Kara’s head and shoulder as she took in the extent of the damage. There was dried blood on Kara’s face and fresh blood oozed from her neck, tinged green from the Kryptonite. Her skin showed spider webs of green veins radiating from the wound as the Kryptonite spread through her blood. 

“Is that Kara’s blood?” Lena asked through strangled vocal chords, her wide eyes darting between Alex and Superman. 

“Medbay, upstairs,” Alex commanded, and before she could take Kara from him, Superman nodded and weakly flew Kara to the upper floor. Alex broke into a dead run behind him, taking the stairs two at a time. She emerged on the second floor to see him straining to hold Kara, his own strength waning. He turned to Alex for instructions. His eyes looked lost, his teeth gritted in pain, Kara still gently cradled in his arms.

“In here,” Alex said, nodding toward a room to their left and he complied quickly. He walked Kara into the room, his steps stuttered and heavy. He gently laid her on the bed then stepped out of the way as Alex and a team of doctors and nurses swarmed around Kara, their voices tight and controlled as they barked out orders.

Superman backed out of the room and stood by the door, watching helplessly as Alex and her team worked. He looked to his left and saw Lena come to a breathless stop next to him, her eyes filled with tears, hands wringing together in front of her as she watched the flurry of action in the small medbay room through the glass window wall. “She was alone with Rikker,” Superman said as he looked down at Lena, his voice quiet. “I tried to–“

His words cut out as Lena grasped his hand and squeezed tight. “Thank you,” she said, her voice choking around the words. She couldn’t look at him, her terrified eyes never leaving the flurry of activity before her. His shoulders deflated and his fingers curled gently around hers. “Thank you for saving her.”

He shook his head, his own throat growing tight with emotion. “She saved us.” He felt Lena squeeze his hand harder, his fingers actually hurting a little under her vice grip, before she released his hand and they stood together watching as Alex struggled to save Kara’s life.

“Hey,” Winn said carefully as he came up behind them. Superman turned to face him. “You should go sit under the sun lamps.”

Superman nodded absently, turning back to watch the medical team work on Kara. He slumped where he stood. “In a minute,” he slurred.

“No, now,” Lena said, clearing her voice. She met Superman’s surprised gaze. “Kara would insist, and the Kryptonite is clearly affecting you.”

Superman nodded again, defeated, and walked away from the room. Winn walked by his side, leading him to the sun bed. “She’s going to be OK,” Lena heard Winn say. “Alex won’t let anything happen to her. Kara’s strong.”

Lena pursed her lips and turned back to watch Alex work, hoping Winn’s words were true. 

******************************

Lena watched for all three hours that Alex and her team worked on Kara. The medical team didn’t dare move Kara, too concerned with how the Kryptonite had embedded in her neck, so they did everything that should have been done in a sterile surgical room in the small medbay room with glass windows. Lena stood a few feet from the window for most of it, her arms wrapped around her middle, her eyes watching and catagloging every move. She shrugged off Winn when he attempted to lead her away, snapped at him with instantly apologetic eyes when he attempted to later offer her a chair. 

Lena waited to speak to Alex until she finally emerged from the small room. Alex looked tired, but relieved. Kara’s blood was soaked through her shirt and the sight of it made Lena woozy. “She’s going to be OK,” Alex said and Lena had offered a sharp nod of her head in reply. She didn’t trust herself to speak, didn’t know what words she even could speak if she tried. “She’ll rest here for a half an hour or so while the recovery room is prepped and then she’ll rest there until…” Alex trailed off, realizing she didn’t know how long it would take Kara to recover. She looked to Lena and softly shrugged her shoulders, still dazed from it all. 

Lena pursed her lips and after a long moment, spoke. “Can I see the space where she’ll be kept in recovery?”

“Sure,” Alex said softly, her eyes dulled. “Let me take a shower–”

“Now, please,” Lena said, her arms crossed in front of her and tightly gripping her biceps. 

Alex opened her mouth to argue and then closed it. She didn’t have the energy to argue, didn’t have the strength to show Lena to the recovery room while still covered in her sister’s blood. The women looked at each other, stuck in a standoff neither wanted. They were both broken, and unable to help each other in that moment. 

“I can take you,” Winn said softly, standing just off to the side, and both women looked to him, grateful. Alex peeled off toward the agent’s locker room without another word, her steps as graceful as a zombie’s, and Winn gently lead Lena to another wing of the medical floor, to another glass walled room with a sunbed situated in the middle. 

Lena entered the room and stared as Winn hung back by the door. “The nurses will be here soon to set up,” Winn said, carefully watching as Lena stopped by the bed.

She nodded briefly, tears stinging her eyes. “Can I be alone for a moment?” she asked with a hitch in her breath, looking back over her shoulder and Winn nodded. 

“Of course,” Winn said. “I’ll be at my desk if you need…”

“Thank you.”

Winn left and Lena stood alone next to the bed. She felt sobered in a way she hadn’t before. So this is what it was like to be in love with Kara. Kara who was Supergirl. Lena thought of the blood on Kara’s face, of the sounds she had made while Rikker was chasing after her with a Kryptonite weapon of Lex’s making and she shuddered, a chill running through her. It was terrifying, and Lena felt like her insides had been hollowed out as she realized that life was never going to be anything other than this. Fearing her brother. Worrying about the danger Supergirl experienced on a daily basis. Loving Kara with her whole heart.

Lena wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffed, looking around the room. She turned on the room’s machines, the sunbed coming to life, and she went to work.


	11. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How are you feeling?”
> 
> Kara looked up with a knowing look on her face and then smiled. “Better. Thanks to you, I hear.”
> 
> Lena shook her head, dismissing the offered credit. “Minor changes to the tech.”
> 
> “Not to hear Alex tell it,” Kara said with raised eyebrows.
> 
> “Well…” Lena trailed off, twisting her hands before her. “She was kind enough to indulge my ideas.”
> 
> “I’m sure she had little choice,” Kara teased and Lena gave her an inscrutable look. “You’re pretty persuasive when you think you’re right.”
> 
> “When I know I’m right,” Lena clarified and they lightly laughed. Their laughter died down and Lena looked to the monitor, to the book by Kara’s side and then up to Kara’s waiting face. “You must be tired,” she said in a tone that suggested a question not asked.

Alex entered the medbay room where Superman sat patiently on a sunbed, his hands folded in his lap as he waited for his strength to return. Alex’s clothes were clean, her skin freshly scrubbed. She had showered quickly, because as urgently as she need to speak with Superman about what had happened with Rikker, she couldn’t walk into his room with Kara’s blood all over her. Couldn’t let him see how just minutes after she’d stabilized Kara, her hands shook, her eyes bloodshot from crying. Lena’s worried eyes on her had been more than enough to deal with. She couldn’t deal with Kal-El’s concerned gaze, too. 

Superman smiled at her and she sagged down next to him on the edge of the bed. “How are you?” she asked, looking at him critically.

“Better,” he said. “Thank you for the use of the sunbed.”

“Of course,” she said. “What happened?”

Superman sighed, his lips thinning as he thought about how to word what needed to be said. He smiled slightly and began. “J’onn had just fit the sarcophagus in place over the Gold Kryptonite and asked me to help him hold it in place. That when I heard the fight between Rikker and Kara intensify. I heard her scream, so I went outside to help her. Rikker had knocked her down and was standing over her with the plasma blade. I went to run to her, to confront him, and as I started away from the building I tripped a booby trap which released a sound grenade.” He shook his head. “I’ve only ever felt pain like that once before, when Lex…” He tilted his chin up. “I was down on the ground, Rikker was standing over me.” He paused, clearly rattled by the memory. “Kara put herself between us and solar flared. It killed Rikker, his suit shattered and a shard of the suit’s Kryptonite hit Kara.” He paused again. “She shielded me from the damage.”

“She protected you,” Alex murmured and Superman nodded. Alex’s brow knit. “How did you fly here holding her with Kryptonite in her neck?”

“I absorbed her strength when she solar flared.”

“Her solar radiation,” Alex quietly realized.

“She gave me the strength to get here,” Superman said. Alex nodded her understanding. His voice sounded like a frightened child when he spoke. “Is she…?” 

“She’s going to be OK,” Alex reassured. “But it’ll be a while before she’s back to full strength. She might even need a sandy beach vacation,” she weakly joked and Superman smiled.

“Thank you, Alex,” Superman said. He hesitated. “Leaving Kara with your family was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. But it was the right one.”

Alex nodded, too emotional to speak. Both looked to the door at the slight knock on the door jamb.

“Ms. Luthor,” Superman said, looking over Alex’s shoulder. 

“Superman,” Lena replied, shifting uncomfortably in place in the doorway. “Are you feeling better?”

“I am, thank you,” Superman said, smiling slightly. “Winn tells me that you’ve been helping. I’m sure that hasn’t been easy for you.”

“It needed to be done,” Lena said and he nodded, understanding. She turned her gaze to Alex. “Can I have a word?”

“Of course,” Alex said. She turned back to Superman. “Stay as long as you’d like.”

“Thank you,” he said and the two shared a gentle smile.

Alex stood and followed Lena from the room. “What’s up?”

Lena turned and faced Alex. Lena’s arms crossed, her face severe. “We need to talk.”

Alex’s face fell. “Why do I have the feeling I’m not going to like this?”

Lena cocked her head and raised an eyebrow, and Alex sighed. 

**********************************

“Kara?”

Kara opened her eyes and instantly regretted it. She closed them quickly and exhaled, the room spinning for a moment, her tongue thick in her mouth. She took inventory of her body quickly, and found that more hurt than didn’t, and that her back and right side were almost uncomfortably warm. She tried to float and couldn’t, and her blood went cold. She licked her lips and rasped out slowly, “Alex?” as she gingerly opened her eyes again.

“Hey,” Alex said, letting out a huge breath. “Hey.”

“What…”

“You’re at the DEO. Do you remember what happened?”

“I was fighting Rikker,” Kara said, her brow knit. “But I don’t…” She looked to Alex, confused.

“You solar flared,” Alex said. “Kal-El flew you here.”

Kara gently nodded, a serious set to her face. 

“You’ve been asleep for two days,” Alex said, the worry evident on her face despite her gentle smile.

Kara’s concern grew. “I’ve never been knocked unconscious like that from a solar flare before.”

“It wasn’t just the solar flare,” Alex said. “You were hit by a shard of Kryptonite that lodged in your neck.”

All of the color left Kara’s face and she tensed, her hand absently moving toward her neck. “Gold Krypto–“

“No,” Alex said, capturing Kara’s hand and gently squeezing it before Kara’s fingers could find the stitched up wound on her neck and the bandage that covered it. Alex carefully moved Kara’s hand back to her side. “It was Lex’s synthetic Kryptonite. Your powers should be back in a couple of days.”

“Should?” Kara asked, her voice high-pitched with concern.

“Will,” Alex corrected strongly.

Kara exhaled and tears started to leak from her eyes. She swallowed hard, processing, and then tried to sit up. “Lena–“

“Is fine, I buzzed her when you woke up,” Alex said, placing her hands on Kara’s shoulders and gently easing her back to a prone position. “She should be here in a few minutes.”

Kara relaxed back onto the bed and Alex removed her hands. Kara wiped at her eyes then looked closely at Alex, at her practiced movements as she checked the monitor to her right. “Are you OK?”

“I’m fine,” Alex answered with a reassuring smile, her gaze returning to meet Kara’s. Kara knew from the tight lines around Alex’s smile that it wasn’t necessarily true.

Kara cleared her throat. “Kal-El?”

“Is fine and back in Metropolis.”

“And J’onn?”

“Taking care of some DEO business,” Alex said, her voice calm and assured. “But he’s been checking on you.”

Kara exhaled slowly and flexed her fingers. She felt weak, and she tried not to feel panicked by the feeling. “I’m tired,” she said, woozy.

“Go back to sleep.”

Kara weakly shook her head. “I want to wait for Lena.”

“She’ll be here in a bit,” Alex said, her hand resting on Kara’s shoulder. “You can close your eyes if you need to.”

Kara exhaled again, the breath shaky as it left her body. “If I do that I’ll fall asleep…” she murmured, her eyes heavy. She fought to stay awake, Alex sitting patiently by her side. After a couple of long minutes, Alex turned her head and looked to the doorway. 

“She’s awake,” Alex said as she stood. 

Kara turned her head and looked to the door but all she could see was Alex’s back. She heard Lena before she saw her, her heels clicking tentatively closer. Alex stepped to the side and Lena was there, standing beside the bed. Kara smiled. “Hi,” she said and Lena rested her hands on Kara’s arm.

“Hi,” Lena said, her eyes wide and watery, her smile a mixture of relief and concern.

“Hi,” Kara repeated before closing her eyes. “I’m still a little tired,” she said, her voice thin and drowsy. She gave Lena one last look and then slipped into a deep sleep. 

**********************************

Kara opened her eyes and groaned. Lena immediately sat forward in the chair beside the bed and placed her fingers on Kara’s forearm. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Kara rasped, blinking slowly. She licked her lips and opened her eyes, squinting as she got accustomed to the light. She cleared her throat and opened her eyes wider, blinking a couple of times as she took in her surroundings. “How long…?”

“A few hours since you last woke up,” Lena said, looking to the monitor to her right. “Do you remember talking to Alex?”

“Yes,” Kara said, her eyes settling on Lena’s profile. Lena looked exhausted. “I was asleep for two days.”

Lena nodded, returning her gaze to Kara’s face. “How do you feel?”

“Tired,” Kara replied. “But better than the last time I woke up.” 

“Do you need anything? Water?”

“No,” Kara said, shaking her head soflty. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

“No,” Kara said. “Thank you, Lena, for helping me when I was fighting–”

“Of course,” Lena interrupted again, her voice soft. She tentatively reached forward and rested her hand on Kara's chest, her fingers splaying over the upper left section of her suit’s crest. They sat that way for a few long moments, the machines’ sounds the only in the room. "I wish you weren't wearing this," Lena murmured, wearily. She felt Kara tense beneath her touch and she realized what that must have sounded like to Kara. "I can barely feel your heart beating through the material,” Lena clarified and Kara licked her lips.

“My heart is fine,” Kara said and Lena made a small scoffing noise in response. "You can see on the monitor that it is," Kara reassured and Lena shook her head.

"It's not the same." They were quiet for another long moment. Lena looked down again at Kara's crest, at the way her palm moved up and down with Kara’s even breath. “When your cousin brought you in…” Lena swallowed hard. “I was very scared.”

"I'm sorry that you were afraid," Kara said and Lena nodded, working her jaw in an obvious move to fight off tears. Lena’s fingers began to lightly trace the edge of the crest. "I'm sorry that you're in this position," Kara said. Lena looked up, a stitch in her brow and Kara indicated the medbay room and Lena's place in it. "Jack wouldn't do this to you," Kara said in a low joking tone and the words died in the air between them. 

“Why do you always…” Lena’s words trailed off and she exhaled heavily. She looked up and they stared at each other for a long moment. “How many times did you have to go under the sun lamps when we were dating?”

“Once or twice,” Kara said and Lena pursed her lips, taking that in. The silence between them grew. “You can say whatever it is you're holding back,” Kara said. 

Lena’s brow crumpled. “This isn't the right time,” she said, pulling her hand back to her lap.

“Because of the room we’re in?” Kara asked, trying not to feel stung by Lena’s retreat. 

“You’re recovering–”

“My powers are recovering,” Kara corrected. “I’m fine.”

Lena cast her a doubting look.

“You obviously have something weighing on your mind,” Kara said, staring at Lena’s face. “Just tell me what it is. Please.”

Lena paused for a long moment, her eyes downcast. “You were right, about me needing you to be just a girl from Midvale. I didn't realize how much at first." Lena met Kara's eye. "And I meant what I said about not having been in love with Supergirl. I never thought about her the way I thought about Kara Danvers. How could I? I was so, crazy in love with Kara, I couldn't see anything or anyone else…” Lena took a deep breath and continued. "You didn't tell me that you were Supergirl in part because you were afraid that your enemies would use it to hurt me, and I left you in whole because I thought staying would mean my enemies would destroy Kara Danvers, and I couldn’t bare the thought of it. Who’d I become, what I’d do…”

Kara swallowed hard. 

“I don’t think you know how much I loved Kara Danvers,” Lena said, her eyes watery. “How…” She swallowed hard. “How much I loved coming over to her apartment after work and listening to her monologue about Snapper while she ate half of a large pizza and pretended she couldn’t easily finish the rest. How endearing she was at game nights, how–” She caught herself and smiled, fragile. “How much I got out of how much she enjoyed her life.” Lena paused. “After the second attack, I didn't see a way to make it work anymore.”

“A Luthor and a Super?”

“You and me,” Lena answered. 

Kara swallowed hard. “Those days when you came over to my apartment, when it was just the two of us, those were always my favorite,” Kara said. “I loved being Kara Danvers with you.” She paused. “Most of my human life has felt, wrong. Off. But being with you felt like I finally had things right.” She hesitated. “I never lied to you about the life I saw us having together. I could see it: Us, together, texting each other before leaving work about who was going to run to the store for milk and who was going to pick the kids up from school.” 

Lena’s lips twisted into a sad, teasing smile. “You would never come home with just milk.”

Kara couldn’t help but smile her own sad smile in reply. “I really thought we could have that. And, I would sometimes also save people.”

Lena nodded. “Yeah.” She ducked her head. “And sometimes those people would be me, or our–“ she didn’t finish, the thought too painful. “Because my brother will never stop, and even if he was stopped, there’d always be someone else because of who I am.”

Kara’s lips pulled into a straight line. “Or because of who I am.”

They shared a long look and Lena shrugged, momentarily too overcome with emotion to speak. “I have to go back to my life,” Lena eventually said through tight vocal chords. She glanced at Kara and smiled. “You have a crinkle in your brow.” Lena’s smile started to slowly fade. “When your cousin carried you in your face was slack and I missed it, the little lines when you’d smile, or frown, that show how much you care about everything.” Lena ran out of breath on the last word and she sucked air in deeply, her fingers twisting together as her lips drew into a tight line. “I'm terrified of making a mistake.” Lena’s lips quirked, her eyes filling with tears. 

Alex knocked on the door jamb and took a tentative step into the room. “Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt but I need to run some tests."

"Not now, Alex,” Kara said, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

Alex frowned. “I’m sorry but–“

"Not now," Kara growled and Lena stood abruptly.

"No, now," Lena said, wiping at her nose.

Kara’s eyes went wide. “Lena–"

“These tests are time-sensitive and can’t be postponed,” Lena said with an authority that made Kara blink. Lena met Kara’s eye and with a curt nod, left.

“Lena,” Kara called, her voice growing strained as she struggled to sit up, and Alex quickly stepped to her side and placed a restraining hand on her shoulder.

“She’s not leaving, she’s just going back to her quarters,” Alex said. “You’ll see her again.”

Kara swallowed away the tears and turned her head, leaning back heavily against the bed. “If she leaves–“

“If she tries to leave, I’ll arrest her,” Alex said and that got a look from Kara. Alex smiled and Kara relaxed a little. “She needs some rest,” Alex confided quietly. “She’s either been in that chair or the lab ever since Kal-El brought you in two days ago.”

“The lab?” Kara asked, confused.

Alex rolled her eyes as she removed her hand from Kara’s arm and started checking her vitals. “Apparently we weren’t doing enough to heal you.”

“Oh,” Kara said, wincing with the knowledge that it was in part her sister’s system that Lena had criticized.

Alex bobbed her head and then shrugged. “She was right. She’s probably cut your recuperation time in half.”

Kara swallowed a proud smile. “Must be the PhDs…”

“Or the patient,” Alex said softly.

Kara exhaled, her breath shaky. “She said she was scared.”

“We all were,” Alex said and Kara met her eye. 

“Where is the Kryptonite?”

“Deep space,” Alex said. “J’onn said he’d put it someplace no-one would ever find it.”

Kara nodded. “And Rikker?” Alex didn’t say anything, her silence confirming the worst, and Kara swallowed hard in reply. “He had so much hate…”

“Kara,” Alex said, stepping forward and putting her hand on her arm. “You did all you could. Sometimes…” Alex exhaled sharply. “Sometimes people have a death wish.”

“Yeah,” Kara said thickly, nodding her head. 

Alex paused. “Everyone—the DEO, the Daily Planet, CatCo—has gone into overdrive investigating Lex’s remaining network. If there are any more like Rikker–“

“There will be,” Kara said resolutely. “Lena’s right: Her brother will never stop.”

Alex gave her a sharp look. “Since when did you become so doom and gloom about the world?” 

“Alex…”

“You two are insufferable right now,” Alex muttered, keying in a few numbers in the tablet in front of her. 

“Lena’s insufferable?” Kara asked.

“I said you both were,” Alex said, putting the tablet in her hands down on the edge of the bed. She cocked her head to the side, sympathetically. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Yes,” Kara said. “With her,” she added and Alex’s lips quirked, understanding. Kara’s features contorted and she shook her head. “She’s going back to Star City.” She looked up and met Alex’s eyes. “And I think when she does it’ll really be over.”

Alex exhaled and sunk down into the chair next to the bed. “I’m sorry.” Kara nodded and Alex laughed, mirthlessly. “I want to say something that will be, profound, or make things better but–”

“I understand,” Kara said. “I feel the same way about you and Maggie.” Alex reached forward and took Kara’s hand and Kara squeezed. She relaxed her fingers and they sat together for a long moment quietly, holding hands in solidarity. “I think that fight against Rikker was as scared as I’d ever been since landing on Earth.”

Alex narrowed her eyes slightly as she processed that information. 

“Alex, he had me on the ground,” Kara confided, her eyes wide as she remembered. “I thought.” She stopped, pressing her lips together tightly. “I thought you and Lena were going to listen me die.”

“But you didn’t,” Alex said. “You came back here and you’re going to be fine.”

Kara lightly shook her head. “Only because Kal-El was hurt and Rikker wanted to kill him first. Saved by Metropolis and misogony,” Kara grumbled. 

“How did you save him?” Alex asked. “To hear Kal-El tell it, the pain he was experiencing, what you must have experienced…”

“I had to,” Kara said with a slight shrug. “When I looked over at Kal with Rikker’s blade above him…” she licked her lips. “I didn’t see, Superman. I saw the baby that left in the pod before mine.”

“Mama bear,” Alex said, smiling, and Kara blushed. “My kids are going to be very lucky to have such a badass aunt.”

Kara looked proud, the look slowly sliding off her face. “How are things, with…”

“Maggie came here the first day you were…” Alex took in a deep breath. “She wanted to be supportive.”

“Of course she did. She loves you.”

“And I love her,” Alex said, her chin trembling. 

“But.”

“But,” Alex whispered. She wiped at her face. “She’s staying with a friend, for now. We’re going to talk once you’re better, and then…”

“I’m sorry.” They sat still for a long time, still holding hands. “Alex…”

“Hmm?” she asked, looking up.

“Everything Rikker had, all of it, it was the same stuff Lillian had when she kidnapped Lena.”

Alex nodded her head. “Lena is convinced Lex has multiple weapons vaults stashed around the world.” Alex met Kara’s eye. “We will find them. All of them. Lena’s already started a top-down review of the Luthor finances for the last ten years to try and pick up anomolous payments.” Kara nodded her head. “Are you OK?”

“No,” Kara scoffed with a self-depricating laugh and Alex chuckled along side her. “But I think I will be. Thank you.”

“Sure,” Alex said. She stood, letting go of Kara’s hand, and looked down at her with a smile. “You must be hungry.”

“So hungry,” Kara said, sitting up a little in her bed. 

“Winn has been dying to bring you a meal and see you.”

“Well, tell him to bring the big bags from Big Belly Burger because I have a couple of days of catching up to do.”

“Will do,” Alex said. She leaned forward and kissed Kara’s cheek. “It’s gonna be OK,” she said, and Kara’s lips quirked, not sure if Alex was saying it for herself or Kara. “He’ll be up in about 30 minutes, OK?”

“Yup,” Kara said.

“Rest until then,” Alex said, walking toward the door.

“I will,” Kara replied, and she watched Alex leave with a deepening frown on her face. Kara closed her eyes and leaned back on her bed, the twist in her brow tight.

***************************************************************************************************

Lena looked up at the knock on her DEO suite door. “Come in,” she said, brow furrowed as Alex entered, her hands behind her back. The blood drained from Lena’s face and she sat up straight. “Kara–“

“Is fine,” Alex said.

“So…?” Lena watched, surprised as Alex brought a bottle of whisky and two tumblers from behind her back.

“I thought we could both use a drink.”

Lena cocked her head and leaned back again in her seat, impressed as she looked to the bottle and then back to Alex. “That’s a good label.”

“You kept a bottle of it at Kara’s place. I noticed.”

Lena smirked, and Alex moved forward and poured them both a drink. She handed one to Lena and held her own glass up in a silent toast. Lena did the same and then took a long sip. She closed her eyes and sighed as the liquid slid down her throat with a slight burn. “Thank you,” she said, opening her eyes and Alex nodded. 

They sat together in companionable silence for a long minute before Alex spoke, her hip leaning against a small table’s edge. “Are you really going back to Star City?”

“It’s where my life is.”

“Are you sure about that?” 

Lena took another long, slow drink, then nodded to a nearby chair. Alex accepted the silent invitation and sat. “You know my plan when I moved to National City from Metropolis was to live here for three months, set up the corporate offices, then move to Star City and oversee the lab.”

“And then…”

“…And then I met Kara Danvers,” Lena admitted. 

Alex hummed as she swallowed a sip of her drink. 

Lena looked down to her tumbler. “I know you think our romantic relationship happened fast. Discussing marriage less than a couple of months in…” Lena trailed off and then met Alex’s eye. “But truth be told, I think I started falling in love with Kara the first time I met her. And when your best friend that you’re secretly in love with admits that they have feelings for you, too, and then says they see building a life with you…” She trailed off and took a sip of her drink.

Alex took in a deep breath. “I hated Kara when she first came to Earth.”

Lena looked at Alex critically, not expecting the admission. 

“She was so annoying,” Alex said with an indulgent smile. “She didn’t understand anything, asked questions about everything, was better than me at all of the things that used to make me special or great…” She trailed off. “My plan my whole life was to be a research scientist like my parents. I had it all planned out. I got into good schools, I studied, and then…” She sighed. “The DEO came calling and I dropped everything I had worked so hard for, for her.” Alex paused. “I gave up my ‘ideal life’ to be in a better place to try to protect her, and I don’t regret it for a second, because Kara is the best thing in my life and I wouldn’t trade time with her for anything. She’s made me a better person in every way imaginable.” She watched Lena for a long moment. “She doesn’t want to be Kara Danvers without you.” 

Lena looked to the glass in her hands. 

“And yeah, I get you being afraid for her—I was afraid for her when she first came out as Supergirl,” Alex said. “But your absence doesn’t guarantee her secret identity stays secret.” 

“What about her friends? What happens to them when Lex finds out that Kara is Supergirl and he comes for Winn–“

“Winn’s own father came for him,” Alex interrupted. “And do you know how many people have tried to kill me?” she asked rhetorically. “Lex can get in line.”

Lena’s lips pulled into a tight line. “And the innocent people at CatCo?” She arched a challenging eyebrow and Alex exhaled. 

“We can’t envelop the world in bubble wrap. Bad things happen.” Lena worked her jaw and Alex continued. “You’ve been here, Lena, you know she’s not doing this alone. We all care about her and we’ll do everything we can to keep her, and the people she cares about, safe.” Lena stayed silent. “Your brother is never getting out of prison, and Kara can handle any Lex-alike he sends her way. You saw her do it with Rikker.”

“I saw her bleeding,” Lena countered quickly, meeting Alex’s eye. 

“And it was terrifying,” Alex admitted. “But isn’t it more terrifying to think that the next time it happens you’ll be hundreds of miles away watching it on the news?”

Lena stared at Alex. “Why…” she trailed off and shook her head before looking closely at Alex. “You don’t like me,” she said carefully.

“I don’t dislike you,” Alex said, tired. “I _hate_ how you do so many things… But you make Kara insanely happy. You both want the same things in life, and when you’re apart you’re both miserable.” They shared a long look and Lena took a sip of her drink, Alex watching her closely. “I don’t know what kind of big sister I would be if I didn’t help her when she had given up on helping herself.”

Lena’s brow quirked at that.

Alex exhaled and then threw back the rest of her drink. She stood and motioned to the bottle. “You can keep it.”

“Thank you,” Lena said softly.

Alex nodded and started for the door. She stopped and turned to face Lena. “Thank you. For coming when I asked, for your help–“

“You’re welcome,” Lena interrupted and Alex again nodded. She turned and left, and Lena sighed, curling the tumbler to her chest. 

**********************************

Kara looked up from the book she was reading as Lena entered the recovery room. “Lena,” she said, surprised.

“You changed,” Lena said, her eyes taking in Kara’s new outfit.

“Yeah,” Kara said, looking down at her body before looking back up. “Winn wanted to check the integrity of the suit and I wanted a shower.”

“Well, the joggers and t-shirt certainly look more comfortable.” Lena smiled and walked closer to Kara’s bed. Lena looked down to the sweatshirt in her hands. “I doubt with the sun lamp on you’re in need of a hoodie, but…” She paused, holding her Metropolis U sweatshirt out from her body toward Kara. “It always looked better on you.”

“That’s not true,” Kara said, her smile soft. “But thank you.” She reached out and took the hoodie, and then rested it on the bed beside her legs. 

“How are you feeling?”

Kara looked up with a knowing look on her face and then smiled. “Better. Thanks to you, I hear.”

Lena shook her head, dismissing the offered credit. “Minor changes to the tech.”

“Not to hear Alex tell it,” Kara said with raised eyebrows.

“Well…” Lena trailed off, twisting her hands before her. “She was kind enough to indulge my ideas.”

“I’m sure she had little choice,” Kara teased and Lena gave her an inscrutable look. “You’re pretty persuasive when you think you’re right.”

“When I know I’m right,” Lena clarified and they lightly laughed. Their laughter died down and Lena looked to the monitor, to the book by Kara’s side and then up to Kara’s waiting face. “You must be tired,” she said in a tone that suggested a question not asked.

“Not really,” Kara said. “I mean, I did sleep for two days, so…” She trailed off and stared at Lena, standing stiffly by her bed. “Is everything OK?”

“Yeah,” Lena said.

Kara’s eyebrows rose slightly. “It’s after midnight.”

Lena nodded as she pressed her fingers together, nervously. “I’m leaving in the morning.” She watched as Kara recoiled slightly. “The threat from Lex is over, for now, you’re awake, healing…” Lena shrugged. “There’s no reason for me to stay.”

Kara pressed her lips together. “I see.”

“I thought.” Lena stopped. “I thought if you’re not too tired we could talk, until then.”

“Until?” 

“Something you’ve mentioned in our conversations since I’ve been here,” Lena started, her eyes averted, “was that you wish you would have told me about your identity before you did. I thought.” She took in a quick breath. “I thought, maybe, there are other things you wanted to tell me but felt you couldn’t. Maybe we could talk and…” Kara exhaled, long and slow, her look guarded and Lena faltered. “But if that’s too difficult, or you don’t want to, I understand.“

Kara was quiet for a beat. “The first time we met alone in your office—without my cousin—I said I flew there on a bus.”

Lena smiled and then laughed, her brow quirking. “You did?”

“Yup,” Kara nodded, blushing alongside a smile. “After you offered to validate my parking.” 

It was Lena’s turn to blush. “You know, you’re the only person I’ve ever offered to validate?” She took a seat in the empty chair by Kara’s bed and placed her hands on her lap. “I was nervous.”

“Me too.” 

“Because you were all alone with Lex Luthor’s little sister,” Lena fished.

“No,” Kara said. “Because you were gorgeous. And, rich and powerful–”

“And showing off an anti-alien device,” Lena said, embarrassed. She cocked her head slightly. “How did you pass? When I finally goaded you into trying it?”

“I sabotaged the device with heat vision when your back was turned right before you asked me to use it,” Kara explained and she watched as Lena’s mouth dropped open. 

“Well,” Lena said, recovering. “That solves that puzzle.” She shook her head. “How did you ever trust me after that?”

“I just did,” Kara said softly. 

Lena smiled. “Well, I appreciate that you didn’t give up on me that day. I think anyone else would have written me off.”

“I wanted to, remember?” Kara asked. “I was all set to write a—what did you call it, a–“

“Hatchet job,” Lena said. 

“See that still stings a little, because even though it was my first story, I was a very fair journalist,” Kara said with a crinkled nose and Lena laughed. “We were both assuming a lot about each other at that point. I’m glad we got past that.”

Lena hummed in agreement.

There was a beat of silence. “You look like you have questions,” Kara said.

“A million wouldn’t be enough,” Lena admitted with a quick glance. 

“Try me.”

Lena shook her head. “This is about you telling me things.”

“It can be both,” Kara offered. Lena just gave her a look and Kara sighed. She rolled her eyes. “I hated going to those healthy places you always picked for our lunch dates.”

“I knew,” Lena whispered, conspiratorially.

“And I thought it was ridiculous that you had a shag carpet in your office when you wore high heels to work every day.” Lena’s eyebrows rose. “It was only a matter of time before the heel snagged on a fiber and you twisted your ankle.”

“OK,” Lena said, amused.

“I think it’s dumb that you didn’t have curtains for your bedroom windows in National City.”

“I was on the 38th floor and the glass was reflective, nobody could see in.”

“But you could never sleep in with the sun shining in at the crack of dawn.”

“I run a multibillion dollar company, I can never sleep in past dawn.”

“You did at my place,” Kara said, tipping her chin up.

“And whose fault was that?” Lena challenged. 

Kara’s eyes dropped, her cheeks dusting pink. “I.” She took a quick breath. “I stopped sleeping in my bed for a while after you left.” She looked up and met Lena’s eye. “Felt weird, to be there alone.”

“Oh,” Lena said, her voice soft. The silence stretched between them for a moment, the shift from light hearted to more serious ground sitting thick between them. 

Kara glanced up. “It was hard being both Kara Danvers and Supergirl in your life,” she said quietly. “I hated it.”

Lena nodded. “You pulled it off.”

“No,” Kara said. “It put little dents in my heart everytime I did it. I hated that you would confide in me when I was Kara, and then confide in me in a different way when I was Supergirl.”

“It’s embarrassing to think about,” Lena said, her face flushing scarlet as she sat back in her chair.

“You shouldn’t be embarrassed, Lena,” Kara said. “I deceived you.”

Lena slightly bobbed her head, acknoweldging Kara’s words. “You know, I joked about it at brunch, but…” She sighed. “I had a dream about a month after we broke up. I was living with you, both of us in your tiny apartment. I had to give away most of my clothes to make it work, I had to adjust to never having my own space, friends dropping by randomly. It was so different than my life up to that point and… I was deliriously happy.”

Kara’s heart squeezed tightly in her chest. “Lena–”

“And then I woke up and I turned on the news to see Supergirl in Star City and I remembered. I remembered all of the times I talked to Supergirl, all the times I talked to my girlfriend as if they were separate people and I was, so. So, incredibly angry and hurt.” 

Kara was silent.

“I think I've come to terms with those feelings. Being here has helped, I think.”

Kara nodded her head and took in a deep breath. “Our intimacy wasn’t earned,” she admitted and Lena met her eye. “Not by me. Having you here helped me see that more fully. I’m sorry I put you through that.” 

Lena swallowed hard and nodded. “Thank you.”

Kara licked her lips and looked away. She scrambled for something else to say. “I, I was always too hot when I slept at your place,” Kara said and Lena looked up, surprised. “It was summer, why did you have a feather duvet?”

Lena laughed, the observation startling her. “I like the weight.”

“You had me for weight,” Kara grumbled, “You didn’t also need 8 million goose feathers in a cotton sack.”

They settled into a moment of comfortable silence, Kara staring at Lena. Lena looked up and her brows rose slightly, questioning Kara’s look. “Ask me,” Kara urged. “You know you want to.”

Lena hesitated before speaking. “Do you remember Krypton?”

“Yes. Vividly.” Kara and Lena shared a long look. “I remember my bedroom, the hallways I had to take to get to my parent’s room. What it smelled like in the garden, the food… I remember a lot.”

“Do you remember the language?”

“Yes,” Kara said. “I have dreams in Kryptonese all the time.” Lena smiled. “I taught Alex and Winn a little.”

“What does it sound like?” Lena asked and Kara saw the spark in Lena’s eye, the genuine curiosity. 

Kara smiled softly and spoke.

“What did you say?” Lena asked. 

“That you’re pretty even when you look tired,” Kara said. Lena blushed. Kara spoke in Kryptonese again and then smiled. “Sometimes especially when you’re tired.” She looked to her hands. “Sleepy Lena was always adorable.” 

“How old were you when your cousin was born?” Lena asked.

“12,” Kara replied. 

“He was an infant when he left Krypton,” Lena led.

“He left in the pod right before mine,” Kara said with a slight smile. “He was such a chubby, perfect baby.” Her smile grew. “He had that little curl of hair on his forehead from the day he was born. I miss it, now that he wears it slicked back.”

“Why didn’t you arrive on Earth at the same time?”

“He left first,” Kara said haltingly, her smile dimming. “I stayed a little longer to say goodbye to my parents. Not long, a couple of minutes, but it meant that my pod was still close enough to the planet when it exploded to be hit by the shockwave.” Lena’s face looked horrified and Kara looked away. “I was spun off into a part of space called the Phantom Zone. It’s a, place where time doesn’t pass like other parts of space.”

“And you were unconscious, in stasis,” Lena said to clarify.

“No,” Kara said with a soft shake of her head. “I was in and out of being awake during my time there.” 

“For 24 years?” Lena whispered, horrified.

“I slept, most of the time,” Kara said. 

“And the rest of the time…?”

Kara pressed her lips together, clearly tense. “Space is very quiet.”

“How…” Lena opened and closed her mouth. “How did you…?”

“Escape?” Kara asked and Lena nodded. “We think debris hit my pod and knocked me out of the Phantom Zone. I pulled Fort Rozz—a prison my people kept in the Phantom Zone—with me. We crashed into Earth at the same time. My arrival, Fort Rozz—it’s one of the reasons why the DEO was created.”

“Kara…” Lena said, words failing her. 

Kara swallowed hard. “I don’t like enclosed spaces. And I don’t like to sit still for long periods of time. Being here, under the sunlamps for days, pretty much makes my skin crawl.”

Lena was quiet for a long moment, a variety of emotions crossing her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“I think it’s one reason why I like to fly so much,” Kara said. “All that open space around me.”

“I can’t even imagine what you’ve been through,” Lena murmured. 

“Then don’t,” Kara said, a forced smile on her lips. Lena’s brow crinkled in confusion and she met Kara’s eye. “I try not to think about it, too much,” Kara clarified. “It makes me feel…” Lena waited and Kara sighed. “It makes me feel, things, that I don’t want to feel.”

Lena nodded. “I do that too,” she said and Kara met her eye. “Try to pretend all of the bad things that have happened to me didn’t really happen to me.” Kara swallowed hard. “I don’t think that pretending has done me any favors.” They sat silent for a long time. “Maybe we should try and fix that,” Lena finally said, and Kara looked up and nodded, vulnerable. Lena nodded back. 

The silence stretched until Kara couldn’t take it anymore. She sighed heavily and said, “I dressed up like the Teletubbies sun baby for Halloween my senior year of high school.”

Lena looked up surprised. 

“Do you, not, know who the Teletubbies are–”

“I know the Teletubbies; I watched them every Saturday morning when I did laundry before going to the library in college.”

“You did?” Kara asked, eyebrows arched high.

Lena smirked and nodded. “Sometimes you need to put your brain on pause and just…”

“Go over the hills and far away,” Kara said, smiling. “That’s from the–”

“Opener where they introduce the Teletubbies, I know,” Lena said with an indulgent nod.

“Lena Luthor watched Teletubbies in college,” Kara said with an amazed shake of her head.

“And Curious George.”

“Really?” Kara asked with a delighted smile.

“The shows were programmed back-to-back on the local channel the TV was permanently set to in the dorm laundry room.”

“I can’t believe you did your own laundry,” Kara said and Lena had the sense to look affronted.

“It was during my rebelious years,” Lena said. “When I pretended I was just like everyone else.”

“You’ve never been just like everyone else,” Kara said affectionately and Lena blushed. 

“So telling me that you were the Teletubbies sun baby for Halloween in high school was something you’d wanted to tell me when we were dating?” Lena teased.

Kara blushed and looked to the ceiling. “No, it was just the first thing that came to my mind to say.”

“Sunshine was the first thing that came to your mind,” Lena said affectionately as Kara met her eye with a smile.

“I’m actually surprised Alex didn’t show you pictures when we were dating.”

“There are pictures?” Lena asked and Kara laughed.

“Maybe,” she replied. They fell into comfortable silence. “Lena?” Kara asked, fiddling with the edge of Lena’s Metropolis sweatshirt.

“Hmm?” 

“Did you delete Jack’s pictures from your phone when you broke up with him?”

“No,” Lena said, slightly caught off guard by the subject change. “Not right away. It didn’t hurt to look at them like with you.”

“Didn’t hurt,” Kara said, her brow quirking. “You said he was your Kryptonite.”

“I clearly didn’t understand Kryptonite’s full effects when I said that,” Lena said, embarrassed. “I meant he was my weakness,” she clarified. “He was always so charming, it was sometimes hard to say no to him.” Lena hesitated. “He offered me an attractive life. No, Luthor baggage, lots of fun companionship. A chance to really be my own person. It was easy with him.”

“But not with me,” Kara said.

“Easy has never meant better,” Lena said. She swallowed hard. “I felt like I couldn’t breath for the first few days after you and I broke up.”

“After you left me,” Kara corrected. She met Lena’s eye and they looked at each other for a long moment.

“That’s important to you,” Lena said. “It’s not the first time you’ve corrected me.”

“I believe in the truth,” Kara said. Lena smirked and Kara’s cheeks flushed. “Lena–“

“We don’t need to rehash it,” Lena said. “I know why the truth was hard for you. Just like I think you know why it’s been hard for me to accept it.” She paused for a beat. “I’m sorry that the way I left hurt you.”

“But not for leaving me,” Kara said.

“I needed to go,” Lena said softly, and Kara nodded. Lena watched as Kara rubbed her thumb across the seam of her sweatpants. “You know, part of me is glad you lied.” Kara’s brows fell and Lena continued. “I imagine that if I knew you were Supergirl from the beginning this never…” she trailed off. “Being with you was one of the best experiences of my life.”

“With me,” Kara said carefully. “Not Kara Danvers?”

“Is there a difference?” Lena asked softly.

Kara took in a deep breath and Lena looked away. 

“This conversation is heavier than I intended,” Lena said. She licked at her lips and looked back up with a smile. “Did you ever finish watching that baking show on Netflix?”

Kara blinked, surprised, her mouth opening and closing. “Ah, no,” she said. “It was something that we watched, together, so…” She forced a smile on her lips. “And I didn’t want to get sucked into grief baking, so…” she laughed slightly. “I switched to British murder mysteries.”

Lena’s eyebrows arched. 

“I lasted all of three episodes,” Kara admitted. “They’re so bleak.”

“They are,” Lena said with a knowing smile.

“Then I binge watched everything on the action/adventure channel.” Kara said, blushing lightly. “More my speed.” Lena smiled brightly and Kara stammered under her attention. “And you? Did you ever finish?”

“No,” Lena said. “As you said, that was…” She took in a deep breath, still smiling. “You know I never watched much TV before we became friends, just whatever was on in the background as I worked.” She looked to her hands and then back up. “I read a couple of good books.”

“Yeah?”

Lena nodded. “I actually read a book of poetry that featured a poem that reminded me of us.”

“Oh?” Kara asked, intrigued. “What was the poem called?”

Lena scrunched her eyes up, tryng to remember the title. “Monologue for an Onion, I think.”

“Huh,” Kara said. “A food metaphor about layers?”

“Something like that,” Lena said with a sad smile. 

“I’ll have to read it sometime,” Kara said. “The last book I read was Cat Grant’s memoir. The, one she published this year, not the other two.”

Lena’s brow quirked with a memory. She cocked her head and looked to Kara. “Did you call Cat Grant after we broke up?”

“What? No,” Kara said, scoffing with a smile. “No,” she again repeated, more seriously in response to the curious look on Lena’s face. “Why did you ask me that?”

“Because she called me after we broke up and I was wondering if it was in reponse to something you’d said.”

“She called you,” Kara repeated, her brow deeply furrowed. “Cat, called you?”

“Mmhmm,” Lena said. “Obsentsibly to ask some vague questions about a discussion I’d had with Senator Shaw the week before, but it was all blustery lead up to the real reason for her call.”

“Which was…?”

“To tell me she had heard through the grapevine that I had broken up with her favorite ex-assistant, Kiera.”

“And…?”

“I hung up on her.”

“You.” Kara sputtered. She shifted in her seat to sit up more fully on the bed. “You didn’t. You didn’t hang up on her. Tell me you didn’t hang up on Cat Grant.”

“I did,” Lena said coolly. 

“Lena!” 

“She called me back a few minutes later, all fire and fury, and I told her if she ever called you ‘Kiera’ again when speaking to me when we both knew damn well what your name was that I’d cancel all of L-Corp’s Department of Defense bids for the forseeable future.”

Kara’s jaw dropped. 

“She made up some excuse for the ‘mistake’ and smoothed things over.” Lena smiled slightly and tilted her chin up. “Hopefully now she’ll show you more respect.”

Kara couldn’t help but smile. “Thank you. For sticking up for me. Even with everything…”

“Of course.” Silence stretched between them again.

“Lena?”

“Hmm.”

Kara opened her mouth to speak and then abruptly stopped herself. She looked to her hands and then back up. The blush on her face when she spoke was bright red. “Are we friends?”

Lena’s face fell. “Yes.”

Kara took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving Lena’s face. “You seem so sad about it.”

“Because I am,” Lena finally said with a tight smile and watery eyes. “But I won’t always be.”

Kara’s lips thinned and she exhaled, nodding her head in resignation. Her eyes looked to where her hands picked at her pants. “I said I'd protect you. Always.” She paused and then met Lena’s eye. “I’m sorry I failed.”

Lena cocked her head, her eyebrow raising. “I’m still breathing,” she replied with a smirk.

“I didn’t protect your heart.”

Lena’s smirk faded and she dropped her eyes briefly. She reached out and wrapped her fingers around Kara’s. “It's still beating,” she said with a squeeze as she looked up. 

Kara nodded and squeezed back, then relaxed her fingers, expecting Lena to let go, to pull her hands back to her lap, but instead Lena shifted her hold, lacing their fingers together. “Is this all right?” Lena asked, her voice calm and sure.

“Of course,” Kara said, her smile emotional. 

They sat that way for a long moment. “So which was your favorite at the dog show?” Lena asked and Kara laughed. 

“No favorite,” Kara said, the smile on her face bright and happy. “They all should have been best in show. A 500 dog tie.”

“Well it’s a good thing you were there as a reporter and not a judge.”

“I would make a horrible dog show judge,” Kara said. “I’d just ask them all to run so I could see their funny little legs moving fast and then I’d give them all treats.”

“Sounds about right,” Lena said, beaming. 

“I still think you should get a dog.”

“I don’t have time for a dog,” Lena replied, fondly.

“You have a million assistants and you could definitely afford a dog walker.”

“That doesn’t sound like it would be my dog, but rather a dog I occasionally see that other people care for,” Lena said, her eyes narrowed. She smiled brightly when Kara rolled her eyes. “You just want a dog to visit and play with.” Kara laughed, unable to hide her surprise at the comment and Lena blushed, realizing what her comment had implied future time spent together. She sighed and squinted her eyes again. “I know it’s after midnight, but do you think we could order pizza to the DEO?”

Kara’s eyes went wide, instantly distracted by the idea of food. “The answer is officially ‘no’ but I’ve done it before so we should definitely do that right now.”

Lena laughed and the two smiled at each other. “I’ll make the call.” She squeezed Kara’s hand and then let go, standing and moving to the phone on the wall. She returned to her seat once done and they slipped into an easy conversation as they ate the pizza delivered by an unsure agent. Kara told Lena all about the different restaurants she’d tried in Opal City and Central City, and Lena listened intently, an affectionate look on her face as Kara practically inhaled two large pizzas. When they were done, Lena cleared the boxes from the room and tidied up a little, Kara’s eyes watching her the whole time. 

Lena looked over from where she was washing her hands to find Kara fidgeting with the material of her Metropolis hoodie again. 

“Is everything all right?” Lena asked, drying her hands on a paper towel that she then deposited in the trash. “Do you need something? Pain medication?”

“No, I’m fine,” Kara said. 

“Because you look it,” Lena teased, sitting back down in her chair beside Kara.

Kara smiled and then looked away, still fidgeting. Lena let it go, waiting for Kara to share if she wanted. “So, we had sex, in the lab,” Kara finally said. She looked up and met Lena’s eye.

Lena leaned back in her chair, not expecting the topic. “We did.”

“We should probably talk about, that.” When Lena didn’t speak, Kara sighed. “How…” Lena looked up and met Kara’s eye. Kara shrugged her shoulders, indicating she didn’t know how to move the conversation forward.

Lena cleared her throat. She spoke carefully, drawing the words out. “I think that it was a moment–”

“Don’t say of weakness,” Kara said, her head tilting to the side, her eyes vulnerable.

Lena pressed her lips together. She continued, her words still slow. “I think it’s something that we both needed, in that moment.”

Kara cleared her throat. “And you saying you love me?”

Lena licked her lips. “Something said in the moment…”

“Oh.” Kara blushed to her roots. Her brow deeply furrowed as the words sunk in. “So, you didn’t mean it.”

“Of course I meant it,” Lena said, her voice just above a whisper. “Kara, I. I didn’t leave because I stopped loving you.” 

Kara smiled tightly at her hands. “Oh. So, it only felt that way.” Kara looked up and met Lena’s eye, and Lena shrank back from the hurt on Kara’s face.

“I never meant to make you feel like that,” Lena said through tight vocal chords.

Kara frowned. “But you did. Meant to make me feel that way.” Lena swallowed hard. “That look you gave me when I first went to Star City.” Kara paused. “You wanted me to think that you didn’t care.”

Lena was quiet for a long moment. “I’m sorry.”

Kara exhaled, rolling her eyes and then looking to Lena. When Lena finally met her eye, Kara smiled sadly. “I just want you to be honest with me.”

“About?” Lena croaked.

“Everything,” Kara said.

Lena pressed her lips together. “I wondered the whole time I was in Star City if should have stayed.” She saw the emotions change on Kara’s face and the vulnerability in her eyes pushed Lena to speak quickly. “I regret saying what I said in your apartment that night, I regret leaving, leaving National City, that encounter in my office–”

“Lena–”

“Hurting you is something I will regret for the rest of my life. Even though I needed to, to stay sane in that moment because I was so scared and so angry, I…” She shrugged. “I’m so sorry.”

A long moment passed before Kara spoke. “Thank you.” 

Lena nodded, her eyes rimmed with tears. 

Kara hated seeing Lena like this. “I love you.”

“I’ve never doubted that,” Lena said. 

“Are you sure?” Kara asked, tentative and quiet. When Lena looked to her, confused, Kara continued. “Your first day here you said we should have never become anything more than friends.”

Lena exhaled sharply and briefly looked to her hands. “What I said about our intimate life was clearly…” Kara met Lena’s eye. “I’m sorry. I didn’t have to say something so hurtful. Those were dark thoughts that I’d had when I’d felt at my worst. I never should have said them aloud, and certainly not to you.”

“I’ve always wanted you, Lena,” Kara said. “I just. I couldn’t show you, like I wanted.”

“You did in the lab,” Lena said with an arched eyebrow and Kara blushed. 

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Lena said, a soft smile pulling at her lips. “It was…” she smiled wider and blushed brightly. 

Kara watched Lena for a long moment. “Do you regret what happened, in the lab?”

“No,” Lena said. “I will never regret a minute I’ve spent with you.”

“Me too.”

Lena reached forward and squeezed Kara’s hand, and Kara squeezed back. The conversation that followed wasn’t light, but it was not as fraught, the heaviest things between them sorted away. They discussed little things they’d done or observed while apart, and Kara carefully answered Lena’s carefully worded questions about Supergirl’s exploits over the years. It wasn’t comfortable, but it was oddly comforting, something they both needed desperately as they slouched toward each other as the hours slipped by, their bodies fighting against the sleep they both very obviously needed. 

Lena was laughing when the nurse came in at 4:30am to take Kara’s blood, Lena’s mirth turning into a worried smile as she moved from her place by the bed so the nurse could have better access to Kara’s arm. 

The needle pierced Kara’s skin easily and it was a sharp reminder to everyone in the room about how vulnuerable Kara still was. How slowly she was recovering from her confrontation with Rikker. Lena watched as the nurse expertly filled three vials, Kara’s blood a deep, rich red. Kara was kind as the nurse pulled the needle free and placed a gauze ball in the crook of her elbow and taped the fabric into place. The nurse quietly excused herself once done and Kara looked from her arm to Lena standing several feet away. Kara smiled gently and Lena returned the look, some unspoken understanding of the fear they both felt passing between them.

Lena looked down to her watch and then back up. “I should probably go, let you get some rest.”

“Are you going to sleep a little before you leave?”

“Maybe a quick catnap,” Lena said with an easy smile. Kara smiled in return, knowing full well how Lena could recharge with a short power nap.

“Well, good,” Kara said. “Because knowing you you’ll jump right back to L-Corp work once you’re on the plane.”

Lena smiled bashfully, acknowledging Kara’s point. There was a long moment of quiet between them, neither sure of how to say goodbye.

“So how–” Kara cut herself off and smiled, nervous. Lena met her eye, her steady gaze urging Kara to continue. “How does this, work, now?” Kara asked, gesturing between herself and Lena. 

Lena was quiet for a long moment before she cocked her head. “I’ll call you?”

The words sounded tentative to Kara’s ear, and the look on Lena’s face said that it was less a promise to do so and more a hope that she’d find the strength to. Kara flushed red. “OK.”

Lena nodded. “Well,” she said, holding her hands from her side before dropping them together. Kara nodded softly, not trusting her voice and there was another awkward long moment of staring between them before Lena licked her lips and stepped forward. She kissed Kara’s cheek, both of their eyes closing as Lena brought her hands up to cup Kara’s face. Lena stayed close, resting her forehead against Kara’s and Kara smiled, sad, as she brought her own arms up to hold Lena’s wrists. “Feel better,” Lena said, her voice thick and Kara hummed in response. Lena gently squeezed her fingertips before letting go and righting herself, Kara’s hands falling to fold over each other on her lap. “Bye,” Lena said and Kara just waved, unable to speak. Lena turned and left, not looking back, and Kara pressed her lips together and tried to fight the tears that were already sliding down her face.

***********************************

It was just after 9am when Winn entered Lena’s lab at the DEO. He pulled up short to find her sitting at the center table, tinkering with the reassembled device. “Hey,” Winn said, looking between the device and Lena with surprise. “You’re still here.”

“Just finishing a few things before my flight,” she said, turning in her chair to face him.

He smiled widely. “So, the jump drive you left on my terminal with the note, ‘From Lena’?”

“Just a few suggestions on how to improve Kara’s suit.”

“Her…suit?” Winn asked, repeating the phrase to make sure he had heard correctly. “Her, Supersuit?”

“I hope you don’t mind. I looked over her current specs and found a few places for improvement.”

“You–“ He stopped himself and lightly chuckled, his face coloring. “Those specs were on a DEO secure server. I encrypted it myself.”

“Is anything really secure these days?” she said, smiling in a cat-ate-the-canary kind of way. “L-Corp’s financial servers certainly weren’t.”

“That. That’s uh. Hunh.” He smiled at her critically for a long moment before his smile grew, game recognizing game. “Hey, before you leave, can I show you something I’ve been working on?” Lena looked unsure, and he continued. “I promise it won’t get you in trouble with Alex,” he said quickly. 

Lena hesitated, weighing the options. “Sure,” she finally said with an easy smile. “Why not?”

“Great,” he said with a wide grin.

She followed him through the now familiar maze of hallways until he unlocked a unfamiliar door and led them inside. He shut the door behind them as the lights in the workspace came on automatically, and Lena stopped short at the sight of a large device in front of them attached to smaller strips that resembled solar panels. “What is it?” she asked, clearly intrigued.

“A red sun simulator,” Winn answered. 

Lena looked to him sharply, surprised. “What?”

“Kara asked me to build it for her,” he said. “To help her feel a little less homesick… And so she could have sex with you without worrying about breaking every bone in your body.” Lena’s eyes went wide, her face flushed and she looked at him, a mixture of fury and embarrassment. “I call it ‘Operation Kara Chicka Wow Wow’.”

Lena took in a deep, calming breath. 

“I gave up on it when you guys broke up; seemed harsh to keep going when she was single. I always figured I’d wait until she was with someone else before I–“

“Winn,” Lena ground out.

“In theory it should work; I mean, it does work, it’s just, I’m stuck and I can’t figure out how to power it for more than a few minutes at a time. I thought now that you guys are good you might help me finish it.”

“Kara and I are not back together,” Lena said strongly.

“OK,” Winn said, his brow furrowing. “But you could still help me with it.”

Lena’s brows pulled together. “You want me to build a machine that will help my ex have sex more easily with other people?”

Winn paused. “Well when you put it like that…”

Lena exhaled and turned for the door.

“Kara deserves to be happy,” Winn blurted in a rush, and Lena stopped. “This will help her feel less alone,” he said and Lena turned slowly to face him. “Even. Even if she never uses it with anyone else, can you imagine how much she probably misses what it felt like to be on Krypton? The machine would give her a piece of that.”

Lena just stood there, staring at him.

“Lena, you just spent three days either in a chair by her bed or working around the clock in a lab to heal her,” he said, the implication clear.

Lena took another deep breath. “She wouldn’t have her powers with this.”

“It would have a failsafe switch, something she could disable so no bad guys could use it against her.” When Lena didn’t look convinced he continued. “Multiple failsafes with multiple redundancies.”

“She told me she wouldn’t give up flying for anything,” Lena said, arching her brow.

“I think she would for a short time if she could show you how she felt without worrying about breaking you.” Lena ground her jaw. “Or, another hypothetical person that she loves and wants to have sex with.” Lena cocked her head looking even more angry and Winn winced. “I’m not, trying to make this weird,” he said and she sighed, rolling her eyes in response. “It took Kara a lot of guts to ask me to do this. You know her, you know how much she probably hated asking for help with something this private and personal.” Lena was quiet. “But she loves you, Lena, and she wanted you to be safe with her.”

Lena took in a deep breath. She looked over Winn’s shoulder to the machine. “Did you build Kara’s sunbed?”

“The one she’s using now? Yeah,” Winn answered, not sure why Lena was bringing it up.

“I thought so,” Lena said. “You have this set up all wrong; the power can’t route through the center. We’ll have to take the whole thing apart and start again.”

“Thank you thank you thank you,” Winn said, following Lena as she moved back to the machine. “You won’t regret this.” She looked at him, annoyed and he cleared his throat. 

“Pull that piece off there,” she said and the two started to pull the machine apart. 

“Wait, wait,” Winn said after a minute and Lena stepped back quickly, concerned that he had left the power on and they were both about to be electrocuted. “Your flight,” Winn said. “You have to leave in like thirty minutes.”

Lena’s lips pulled into a tight line. “Reschedule it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Do you want me to leave?” she challenged, both of her eyebrows arching.

“No, no, you should definitely stay,” Winn said, holding a hand out. “I just may need to tell Alex, and then…” He tapped his fingers against his lips, thinking.

Lena sighed heavily. “Do you want to move this to one of the labs at L-Corp?”

“Probably not a good idea to walk out with this much stuff,” Winn said, his brow furrowing as he took in the amount of machine parts that lay around them.

“Winn–”

“Uh, ah, I’ll just, say you left.” He picked up a tablet and typed quickly. He tapped the screen and gave her a triumphant smile.

“And when they see that I haven’t?” Lena asked, her eyebrows to her hairline.

“Uh…” Winn frowned. “How long could this take?” he asked, looking around at the device and she muttered under her breath. He put the tablet down with a smile and they got back to taking the device apart, Lena wondering what she had gotten herself into as she worked.


	12. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Alex, I want to go home."
> 
> "I know,” Alex said. “I think in another day–”
> 
> "No, I want to go home,” Kara said and Alex blanched.
> 
> "Kara," she said softly and Kara put her free hand to her forehead, momentarily shielding her eyes.
> 
> "Not– Krypton,” Kara said, dropping her hand to her lap. “Home. To Midvale.”
> 
> "Oh,” Alex said, truly suprised. 
> 
> "Let's go,” Kara said, gently squeezing Alex’s hand once. "We deserve a break."

“Holy crap.” Alex stared at the black text on the tablet screen in her lap. She looked up to find Kara staring at her, her jaw tight. Alex did a double take and handed the tablet back to Kara. “Is Lena the onion? Are you the idiot?”

“I don’t know,” Kara replied, cradling the tablet and looking at the words on the screen. She had searched for the poem Lena had said reminded her of them an hour after Lena left, and Kara had read it with puffy eyes and a hurt heart. Is that really how Lena saw them? Saw herself? Someone who doesn’t have a heart deriding the idiot in love with them?

Alex turned her head and eyed the monitor to the right, her brow crinkling. “Kara.”

“What?”

“How are you feeling?”

“Sad,” Kara answered, turning off the tablet and placing it on the table next to her sunbed. She leaned her head back and momentarily closed her eyes.

Alex’s face fell and she looked to her sister. “Your blood pressure is starting to get a little high.”

Kara opened her eyes and looked to Alex, not understanding. Alex stepped forward and put her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Unhealthy high for a Kryptonian without her powers,” Alex said gently and Kara rolled her eyes. “I know, given the situation, that it’s difficult, but you need to try to relax.” 

Kara puffed out a sharp breath. “Lena used to say the same thing when we dated. Usually when I got too fired up about a story, or when something didn’t go well with things at the DEO that I couldn’t tell her about,” Kara’s brow quirked. “She thought I was too tender, that I cared too much about things I couldn’t control. She used to stand in front of me and put her hands on my shoulders, on my skin under my sweatshirt, and I would rest my forehead on her tummy.” Kara’s cheeks were pink and she exhaled sheepishly. “Instant calm.”

“Maggie likes to put her finger in my beltloop when we’re in line at the grocery store because she knows that shopping stresses me out,” Alex said softly. Kara looked to Alex and saw the weight of the world on her shoulders. Kara held out her hand and Alex reached out and took it as she sank into a chair. They sat side-by-side silently holding hands for several long minutes. 

“Alex, I want to go home."

"I know,” Alex said. “I think in another day–”

"No, I want to go home,” Kara said and Alex blanched.

"Kara," she said softly and Kara put her free hand to her forehead, momentarily shielding her eyes.

"Not– Krypton,” Kara said, dropping her hand to her lap. “Home. To Midvale.”

"Oh,” Alex said, truly suprised. 

"Let's go,” Kara said, gently squeezing Alex’s hand once. "We deserve a break."

Alex smiled, her features tight. “Kara, I just can’t–”

"Yes, you can,” Kara interrupted, the look in her eyes sincere and serious. “We need this, Alex."

Alex pressed her lips together. “To run away and lick our wounds.”

"To remember who we were before life became this."

Alex flexed her jaw and looked away.

“I know you still need to talk to Maggie,” Kara said gently, and Alex looked up, vulnerable. “But after that… Let's go home.”

“OK,” Alex breathed out. Her shoulders sagged. “OK.”

Kara nodded and they settled into sharing heavy silence.

*******************************************

Alex left Kara’s room and returned to her lab. After an hour’s worth of distracted, half-finished work, she made her way to the bullpen and J’onn’s side.

“How’s Kara?” J’onn asked and Alex rolled her eyes, trying to figure out the words needed to describe Kara’s condition.

“Gaining strength. Blood work this morning looked good,” Alex said and J’onn harumphed, the mention of Kara’s blood enough for him to know her powers still hadn’t returned. 

“And her mind?” 

“I don’t think it’s her mind that’s broken,” Alex said softly. 

J’onn’s jaw tightened. “Miss Luthor left this morning. Have you seen Agent Schott?”

“No,” Alex said, her brow crumpling in surprise. She turned and looked to Winn’s empty terminal. “He didn’t come into work today?” She turned back to face J’onn.

“His logs indicate he did, but I haven’t seen him all morning.”

“Do you need him for something?”

“No,” J’onn replied. “I just like knowing where my agents are.”

“He’s probably in his lab, or more likely, dismantling Lena’s so he gets his precious server space back.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Do you want me to go look for him?” Alex asked, thumbing over her shoulder and he shook his head. He paused and then placed a hand on her other shoulder.

“No.” He sighed and his features softened. “I want you to go home.”

“But–”

“Go home, Alex,” J’onn said. “You’ve been here non-stop since Kara was injured. It’s time to tend to the other parts of your life.”

Alex swallowed hard and worked her jaw. “And what if I don’t want to?” 

“It’s not fair to Maggie to make her wait for this,” J’onn said gently and Alex sucked in a sharp breath. “Go home.”

She nodded, unable to speak, emotion closing her throat.

“Call me if you need me,” he said, pulling her into a hug, and she had to fight off the tears that sprung to her eyes. “We can get a drink, talk–”

“Just a drink sounds fine,” she said, stepping back and wiping at her eyes. He nodded his head, watching her closely.

“Whatever you need.”

“Thank you,” she said and he again nodded. She wiped self-consciously at her eyes once more, and turned for the exit. J’onn watched her go and sighed. 

*******************************************

“Lena.” There was no reply. “Lena.” Lena looked over to Winn, her eyebrows arching in question. He smiled, his eyes slightly narrowed. “Are you OK?”

She blinked and slightly shook her head. “I um. I need a T-handle hex wrench.”

“OK,” he said slowly. “But first: Are you’re OK?”

“I’m fine,” she said, schooling her features.

“It’s just you’ve been staring at that panel for like five minutes and I was saying your name–”

“I’m fine, Mr. Schott,” she said abruptly and he smiled wider as he moved to the toolbox to his right.

“See, that’s how I know you’re not.” He grabbed the tool she requested and brought it to her. “It’s Winn.”

“Thank you.” She took the tool from him and raised an eyebrow. “Winn.” She offered a slight smile, and his smile brightened. She turned back to the device in front of her and sighed. “Where do you envision this being installed?”

“Kara’s apartment,” he said slowly. “I mean, I doubt she’d want to use it here in the D–”

“Where, in Kara’s apartment,” Lena interrupted, both for clarification and so he wouldn’t say what she thought he was going to say.

“I don’t know,” he said, blushing, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess I thought her bedroom.” 

Lena’s brow crumpled. “Kara has curtains for room separaters.”

“And?” 

“And, I doubt she’d want anyone sitting on the couch in her living room to inquire as to why she has massive black solar panels installed along the edge of her bedroom ceiling.”

Winn pressed his lips together. “You think the panels are too big.”

“I think they scream, ‘machine prototype’.”

His brow knit. “Well, it is.”

“And given what it is, and your stated purpose–”

“My–”

“It should be more discreet.” She exhaled and looked at the machine again before turning her attention back to Winn. She stared at him, making no secret that she was evaluating him. 

He shifted nervously under her gaze. “What?”

Without answering, she walked to her purse and pulled her phone free. She dialed and pressed the phone to her ear. “Sam?”

“What are you doing?” he whispered and she held up a finger, silencing him. 

“Sam, I’m sending someone over named Winn Schott.” Lena paused. “Yes, Kara’s friend. I need you to make sure that he has limited access to the research and development floor, specifically project GM-028.” Lena listened and then smiled. “Let him take whatever materials he needs from that project and that project alone.” Lena smiled at Winn as she listened to Sam speak. “He’ll be over within the half hour. Thanks Sam.” She hung up the phone and placed it back in her purse before returning to the machine.

“What, was that?” Winn cautiously asked, pointing between Lena and where she just stood.

“Prior to my move to Star City I was working on a project at L-Corp, developing a new material that can emit electromagnetic radiant energy. It might work for this project.”

“I get to see propriatory L-Corp tech?” Winn asked, clearly delighted.

“I want you to look at it and see if it could be useful for this project.”

“OK,” Winn said, up for the challenge.

“When you get to L-Corp, check-in in the lobby. Our CFO Sam Arias will personally escort you to the R&D floor. You’ll have two hours to review and pack the materials, should you find them worthy.” She arched an eyebrow. “Do not snoop or I’ll make sure you never see another piece of before-market L-Corp tech again.”

Winn smiled so wide that Lena was sure she could see all of his teeth. “Thank you, Lena.”

Lena nodded and Winn rushed for the door. He stopped abruptly and turned to face her. “Do you need anything before I go?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“OK. I’ll be right back.” He beamed as he exited.

The door closed behind him and Lena exhaled, alone in the large lab. It felt strange, being alone, knowing that the only person who knew she was even there was leaving the building. She tapped the wrench in her hand against her palm a couple of times and then went to work dismantling the machine’s core.

*******************************************

Alex opened the door to her apartment, noticing right away that it was colder than usual. She hadn’t slept there in almost a week, and with Maggie staying at a friend’s, there had been no one to trip the thermostat now that the weather outside was turning. She looked around and immediately noticed the box by the front door half filled with Maggie’s things. Alex exhaled sharply and placed her hand on her stomach, suddenly worried she was going to be sick. She let the feeling pass and then moved more fully into the apartment, kicking on the heater as she went. Alex removed her gun and wallet from her belt and placed them on the counter by the refrigerator. She contemplated grabbing a beer before having second thoughts. As much as the thought of numbing her emotions appealed to her, she needed a clear head for this conversation. She took another deep breath, and after standing at loose ends near her kitchen island for several long moments, she moved to sit on her couch. She looked to the door, and then her watch. Maggie would be there any minute, agreeing after a long back and forth via text that morning to meet her after noon. 

Alex exhaled, her breath shaky, and she wiped at her eyes. She was wound as tight as she’d ever been, and her eyes were already filling with tears. “You can do this,” she whispered to herself, wiping her hands over her thighs. “You can do this.” She exhaled again, and then went rigid at the knock on the door. She took in a deep breath and stood as the lock clicked open and the door knob turned. She froze as Maggie stepped inside, keys in her hand. Keys that Alex had given her only months before when she moved in. Alex stared and Maggie quietly shut the door behind her, shoving both hands in her leather jacket pockets when she was done. They stood in their spots, the space between them feeling massive.

“Hey,” Maggie finally said, the smile on her face revealing dimples. 

“Hey,” Alex answered, her voice croaking. Maggie nodded, her lips pressed together and her eyes quickly filled with tears as if she knew exactly what was going to happen. Alex exhaled harshly and wiped at her eyes. “Thanks for meeting me.”

“Of course,” Maggie said. 

Alex nodded, wondering if she would be able to talk. She felt like her throat was made of stone.

“Alex–”

“We need to talk,” Alex interrupted, pushing the words out in a watery gasp.

“Yeah,” Maggie agreed with a sad nod of her head. 

“Yeah,” Alex repeated, her own head nodding sadly. “Sit with me?” she asked, and after a long, silent second that seemed to stretch, Maggie agreed. 

*******************************************

“Thank you for bringing me dinner,” Kara said, brushing her hands together after tossing her used napkin on the side table next to her sunbed. She wiped at the corner of her mouth with her thumb and then dropped her hands to her lap.

“Of course,” James said, standing with a smile. He collected their empty plates and started tidying up, and Kara’s face dropped, remembering Lena doing the same in the early hours of the day. Kara swallowed around the lump in her throat. “You know,” James said, his back to her. “I wanted to come earlier but Alex–”

“She’s over-protective,” Kara said. She offered a quirked smile when James looked at her and he chuckled.

“I was going to say worried that it would stress you out,” James said. He washed and dried his hands, and then returned to sit at Kara’s bedside. His features turned gentle as he took in her vulnerable look. “Tell me you’re OK.”

“I am,” Kara assured. 

“OK,” James said. “Now tell me the truth.” Kara sighed and looked away. “Look, Kara, I know I’m not your favorite person right now–”

“No, that’s not.” Kara screwed her eyes up, then exhaled heavily and met James’s eye. “I was, mad at you, but I’m not now. You and Lois were following leads, and when you realized you were wrong–” James smiled, sheepishly. “You admitted it and worked to make things right. I get it.”

“Clark told you he forgave Lois and encouraged you to forgive me, didn’t he,” James said with an impish smile and Kara smiled in reply.

“Yes,” Kara said and they both laughed. “But that’s not why–” She stopped and gave him a fond look. “You follow your heart. I respect that, even if I don’t always agree with the decisions you make when you do.”

He nodded, accepting her assessment. “You know, I talked to Lena before everything went down between you and Rikker.”

“I did know,” Kara said.

James exhaled and sat back in his chair. “When you two first got together… I didn’t get it. But after seeing her here, working to bring down Lex—I think understand a little bit better what you see in her. She has more to her than I originally thought.” Kara smiled, proud and sad. “How are things, between you two?”

“Uh,” Kara opened her mouth and looked to the side, picking at the blanket balled up next to her legs. She blushed. “We’re, friends.” She looked back to him and he didn’t speak, his brow knit. “She went back to Star City today.”

“That’s it?” he asked, clearly confused.

“Yup,” she said witih a pop and he shifted in his seat, exhaling heavily. She raised her brows at him and he relaxed, sitting up in the chair.

“I’m sorry, I just thought…” He held his hands out from his side. “I thought she was here for you.”

“Nope,” she said, a bright blush on her cheeks. “I guess nothing brings people together like fighting Lex Luthor.” James frowned. “It’s, it’s…” she smiled, embarrased, and waved her hand in front of her. “It’s, fine.” She could tell from the way he looked at her that he knew the truth. She bit at her top lip. 

“I’m sorry,” he said and she put on her bravest smile. “For what it’s worth, she’s making a mistake,” he said, arching his eyebrows, and Kara knew it was coming from that small part of him that once thought they had a chance.

“She’s doing what she thinks is best for her,” Kara said. “I have to respect that.” He nodded and exhaled. “So, anything exciting happening at CatCo?” she asked, eager to change the subject and he laughed, his head cocking to the side.

“Funny you should ask…”

She looked to him, confused, and his smile grew wider.

*******************************************

Lena leaned her head back against the concrete wall and chewed, her gaze lost in the middle distance. This was familiar. Sitting on the floor in a lab, surrounded by machine guts and wires, eating Chinese take out from paper boxes for dinner. It reminded her of university, and of all of those years with Jack. It was what she had wanted from her move to Star City. She stabbed at the noodles in front of her with her chopsticks and brought her attention back to Winn sitting next to her. He was scarfing down his beef broccoli, a content smile on his face. A soft smile pulled at Lena’s lips. She understood more now why he was dear to Kara. Lena’s heart skipped at the thought of Kara, and she once again stabbed at her food, her brow knitting. “You’re friends with James Olsen, right?” Lena fished, and Winn looked to her with a charming smile.

“Uh, best friends.” He wiped at his shiny lips with a napkin. “We’re super tight.”

“Is he still close with Superman?”

Winn’s lips thinned. “Why?”

Lena hesitated. “Do you think you could arrange a meeting between me and James? For before I leave.” She looked to Winn with hopeful eyes. 

“Sure,” Winn said slowly. He looked at her closely and she tried not to give anything away under his gaze. “Is everything OK?”

“Yeah,” Lena said, tilting her chin up with a disarming smile.

“Because you can talk to me, if you need–”

“Everything is fine, Winn, I just need to speak with James,” Lena said with a kind smile.

He smiled kindly in return. “I’ll text him right now.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and quickly keyed out a message.

Lena watched, pressing her lips together tightly. “Thank you,” she said softly, and she smiled at him when he dramatically hit send and then dove back into his food. Lena turned back to her own food, shoving the noodles around with her chopsticks before taking a large bite and returning her attention to the project spread across the lab floor in pieces. 

***************************************************************************************************

Kara groaned loudly and dramatically fell back against the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

“Is everything all right?”

She looked up, surprised, to see J’onn smiling at her from the doorway. “Hi.”

“Hello,” he said. “May I–”

“Yes, of course, come in,” she said, waving him toward the empty chair by her bed. 

“Is everything all right?” he asked as he came to sit down next to her.

Kara huffed out a breath. “I’m bored.”

He looked to the dormant TV in the corner before raising an eyebrow at Kara. “We do have Netflix.”

“I’ve watched everything,” she replied petulantly and he couldn’t help but smile.

“Alex said your blood tests this morning looked good.” She snorted in disapproval and he chuckled, her response to the mention of her blood eliciting the same response he’d had in the morning. “Meaning, I think you should be able to go home soon.” She quirked her lips and he sat back in the chair, evaluating Kara. After a long moment, he said, “Ms. Luthor should be back in Star City safely by now.”

“Should?” Kara said, sitting up slightly. 

He held up a calming hand. “She took her own plane. The DEOs days of keeping tabs on her movements are, at least temporarily, halted.” Kara frowned at that and he smiled. “Did you have an opportunity to say goodbye?”

“Yeah,” she said, brow quirking. “She came to see me before she left.”

J’onn’s brow fell. “It didn’t go well,” he led and Kara exhaled, noisily.

“Why does everyone keep– It was fine. She. We’re friends.”

“She was a great help to us. I’ll make sure she knows how much the DEO appreciated her service.”

“She would like that,” Kara said softly. She caught J’onn’s eye. “Not enough people thank her for the good she does. They all think there’s some, ulterior motive, instead of just the actions of a good person.”

“Then I will make sure she is properly thanked.” Kara nodded and a beat of silence sat heavy between them. “We haven’t had a chance to talk about what happened with Rikker.” Kara’s lips thinned. “What you did in Opal City was very brave.”

“It really wasn’t.”

“It was,” J’onn insisted. “You saved Superman and me at great personal risk to yourself. You shouldn’t diminish that.”

“It didn’t feel like a risk,” she said softly. “Rikker was going to hurt Kal, and I, I couldn’t…” she exhaled heavily.

J’onn reached forward and took Kara’s hand and Kara squeezed it, gratefully. “Family is everything.” He smiled when she met his eye and she squeezed his hand again.

“Speaking of… Have you talked to Alex, about…”

J’onn nodded his head. “I sent her home this morning so she could talk to Maggie.” Kara exhaled heavily. “I plan on checking in on her after I leave you.”

“Thank you,” Kara said and he bowed his head. “God. How did life turn into this?” They sat quietly for a long moment, the only sound in the room the quiet blips of the machines monitoring Kara’s health. “You know, when I saw Kal-El on the ground, it was like being back on Krypton and seeing him in the pod right before I left.” J’onn watched her closely as she worked her jaw. “I think about Lena, about how she has to fight her family and I just. I can’t imagine fighting Kal-El, really fighting him.” She met J’onn’s eye and he nodded in agreement. She paused, her eyes dropping to her lap as she mulled over her next words. “Have you ever… talked to a therapist?”

He did a double take and then shook his head. “No.” Kara nodded, her gaze averted. “Not because I think therapy is a waste of time, but…” he trailed off as Kara looked up. “I’ve always thought, who would be equipped to help someone who has lost their entire race?” He met her eye and could see that was Kara’s thought as well.

“Lena thinks we should talk to someone.”

J’onn looked intrigued and hopeful. “Couples counseling?” 

“No.” Kara stammered, flushing red. “Uh, individually.” She met his eye and then quickly looked away. “It makes, sense. Everything with her family, her, paternity, her birth mother, Lex…” 

J’onn grunted in agreement. After a long moment he spoke. “If you need to talk to someone, Kara…” He smiled gently as he met her worried gaze. “There are aliens on Earth who would understand. Fellow refugees.”

She nodded her head. “And for DEO agents who might need help? Is there, something for them?” He sat back in his chair. “I’m talking about Alex.”

His look grew pensive. “I can’t imagine Alex seeking help.”

“Maybe not now,” Kara admitted. “But what she’s doing, today with Maggie, is so that she can be in a better position to have what she wants. A wife. A family.” J’onn nodded. “She might need some help to get to a place where she can have that.”

“I’ll see what’s offered.”

“Thank you.”

“But that’s a conversation that you’re going to have to have with her,” he said and Kara smiled. “I don’t think she would take it well, coming from me.”

“I’ll talk to her about it.” 

He smiled, his look turning a shade more serious. “You know, the mind is a powerful thing.” She looked to him. “I hope that if you do talk to someone, it’s not for Ms. Luthor’s sake, but your own.”

She nodded, point taken. “Alex and I are going to go away once I’m released. Go visit Eliza in Midvale.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” J’onn affirmed. “A break from this life sounds like the ideal way for you to recover. Both of you.” She nodded and then exhaled heavily again. J’onn’s lips quirked with amusement at her obvious restlessness. “You can go for a walk, you know?”

“Can I?” Kara asked, her eyebrows arching. “Alex made it seem like if my feet left this room a swarm of agents would surround me and tase me back to bed.”

J’onn laughed heartily. “Well, then it’s a good thing that Alex is not in charge of these facilities.” J’onn stood and put his hands on his hips. “Wander the DEO’s halls to your heart’s content, Ms. Danvers.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “Maybe after dinner.”

He checked his watch. “It’s nearly 9pm—you haven’t had dinner?”

“My, second, dinner, that Vazquez is bringing me from Noonan’s.” She smiled at his confused look. “I was asleep for two days, I have to make up for lost time.”

J’onn laughed. “Well, enjoy.”

“I will. Thank you, for stopping by.”

“Of course.” He reached forward and gently squeezed her knee and then exited. She watched him go, her lips thinning. As resteless as she felt, she had little desire to wander around the DEO. Not when it meant walking the halls without a chance to run into Lena. Kara imagined herself walking into the lab where Lena had worked, how empty it would feel. There’d be no whirring machines, no mug on the desk in the corner stained on the edge with Lena’s red lipstick. It would be like Lena had never been there and the thought made Kara’s heart hurt. She crossed her arms across her chest, closing the chunky cardigan around her as she did so. 

She hated this. Hated that Lena was gone again. She picked up the remote, blowing out a puff of air and reluctantly turned on the TV.

*******************************************

Lena sat at the desk in Winn’s lab. It was late, and she was alone, waiting for her last diagnostic test of their creation to finish running. She stared at her phone, placed next to her on the steel surface and bit her thumb nail nervously as she listened to a recording of Sam’s call-in press conference from a couple of days before. 

“Ms. Arias, has Lena Luthor gone into hiding because of rumors of a potential attack on L-Corp?”

“Absolutely not,” Sam said and Lena’s lips quirked into a small smile at her definitive tone. “You should know by now that Lena Luthor hides from no one, and the only rumors about future attacks come from a press seemingly eager to cover one. She is simply on a planned vacation. Listen—If there were credible rumors of an attack, nobody would be here in this building because L-Corp values and prioritizes employee safety.”

“Ms. Arias, what about reports that Lena Luthor is stepping away from L-Corp because of mental issues.”

Lena rolled her eyes and dropped her hand to the desk. She immediately started to trace the edge of the computer keyboard with her fingers as she waited for Sam’s reply. 

“Again, Lena Luthor is on vacation,” Sam said patiently. “A well-earned vacation that she deserves after successfully transforming LuthorCorp into L-Corp, a force for good in the world. Her innovations and charitable work have shown that she is dedicating her life to make this world a better place. She has worked tirelessly for two years straight—let her spend a week or two on a beach somewhere.”

“What about reports that Ms. Luthor is in National City?”

Lena frowned. Seemed Kara was right to worry about ending up in the papers after all.

“National City was Ms. Luthor’s home for over a year and she still owns a residence there,” Sam said. “If she choses to spend some of her vacation time at her property there that should be nobody’s business but her own.”

“Ms. Luthor was seen having brunch in National City with former CatCo reporter Kara Danvers. Will Ms. Luthor see Supergirl while she’s there, as well?”

“For all I know, they’ve already seen each other,” Sam quickly replied, and Lena couldn’t help but smile at how protective Sam sounded. 

“Last question,” Lena heard Sam’s assistant say, followed by a grumbling press corp.

“Ms. Arias, care to comment on reports that Ms. Luthor was visited by the FBI before leaving for her vacation?”

“L-Corp has numerous government contracts, so Ms. Luthor meets with government officials on a fairly frequent basis,” Sam smoothly answered. “It’s her commitment to transparency and showing what good corporate citizenship looks like that you even know enough about her visitors to be able to ask that question.” There was a brief pause and a shuffling of papers. “Thank you, everyone, for calling in,” Sam said. “To reiterate, our quarterly earnings are strong, our charitable work continues, and you should expect some interesting announcements in the coming months regarding some new technology our R&D has been working on. Thank you.”

Lena reached over and ended the recording, the room eeirly silent until the computer dinged, her head turning to read the diagnostic test results. All systems optimal. Lena rotated and faced the machine, sitting in a perfect approximation across the lab’s floor of how it would be installed in Kara’s home. Lena swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

A vacation. Lena rubbed her neck and rolled her head from side to side. As if she could ever take a vacation. She opened her eyes and looked to her packed bags next to her. She’d been alone since Winn left hours earlier, the man wiping at tired eyes and promising that he’d be back first thing in the morning to help her finish. She had let him go with a patient smile, hiding her knowledge that she’d be able to finish faster with him gone. She’d tightened the last screw in the build around 11, and now with her diagnostic tests complete just before midnight… She exhaled, her muscles aching, her feet sore, and she looked back to the machine. All she needed to do was call for her car and walk out of the DEO with her head held high, her commanding attitude daring anyone to question why she was still there.

But instead she stayed seated. Still. She barely even blinked as she stared at the machine, her gaze traveling over the smooth, white panels that looked like crown molding and the twin generators that could be mistaken for household appliances. Both were technologies taken from her project at L-Corp and in a few days this machine—a prototype that she’d taken apart and reformed from the ground up using her proprietary tech—would be installed in Kara’s home. A gift from Winn that would give Kara a piece of the home she’d lost.

Lena wiped at her face, tears unexpectedly springing to her eyes. She let out a shuddered breath and struggled to keep her emotions in check. She felt sick to her stomach. This machine would give Kara something that she had been brave enough to ask for: A chance for a shot at real intimacy with another person on Earth. That Kara could use this machine with someone who wasn’t her… Lena exhaled sharply and pressed her lips together.

Lena had had expectations when she moved to National City from Metropolis. What she would do with L-Corp, how she would be treated as the world’s most notorious super villian’s younger sister. And all of those expectations were blown up the day she met Kara. Kara changed her life. Showed her a different way than what she’d had planned. She didn’t have to be alone, didn’t have to be emotionally guarded. She could be vulnerable. Soft. Kara had been what no one else had been in her life before that. Tender. Trusting. Insisting on a friendship with her desipte all of the red flags that came from her name and status. And how Kara had made her feel, made her want, a deep in her bones desire, once she had opened her heart to the possibility of her and Kara together… Lena pulled in another sharp breath through her nose. 

So what was she doing, Lena asked herself, looking to the ceiling. Kara clearly wanted to be with her, they clearly still loved each other and yet. And yet, she was preparing to leave again. How could she leave Kara again?

After several long moments spent composing herself, Lena stood. She brushed her hands down her front, her dress pants slightly wrinkled. She looked around the room again, and reorganized her things. She nodded to herself, accepting her work at the DEO was finished, and exited into the hallway.

*******************************************

J’onn stopped at the threshold of the room and waited for his eyes to adjust to the changed light. He scanned the room and spotted Alex easily, hunched over a glass at the bar. J’onn pursed his lips and made his way to her side. “Alex,” he said gently, placing a hand on her back. The leather shifted slightly as she looked up, eyes red and glassy. 

Alex pressed her lips into a tight line and then twisted them, the unshed tears making J’onn’s form look blurry. She huffed out a deep breath and then turned back to her glass, taking another drink. 

J’onn looked to space around her, noting the three other empty glasses and he frowned. He sank onto the stool next to her and got the bartender’s attention. “A whisky and a glass of water,” he said softly, and he settled into sitting silently by Alex’s side for as long as she needed him.

*******************************************

Lena’s back was ramrod straight as she walked across the DEO’s polished floors, her heels clicking in time with her rapidly beating heart. As she expected, she garned a few double takes from surprised agents, but no one dared stop her. She walked with purpose until she abruptly stopped at the door. She rung her hands in front of her, taking a deep breath, and then pushed the door open and stepped through the threshold. 

She didn’t know what she had expected to feel. But it wasn’t this. This feeling of numb certainty that she was always going to end up here combined with an almost suffocating affection for how pretty Kara looked as she stared at her from her sunbed, wide-eyed and surprised. 

“Lena,” Kara said, sitting up more fully. “You’re here.” 

Lena nodded. She knew she needed to stay something, but she couldn’t speak, her throat closed with emotion, her stomach flipping with nerves. The door closed behind her and all of the sounds outside of the room disappeared.

Kara’s surprised eyes narrowed as she looked at Lena more closely. “You’ve been crying.” Kara’s legs immediately swung over the edge of the bed, and she made a motion to stand, only stopping when Lena’s hand flew up.

“No, stop.”

“But, Lena–”

“Stop,” Lena said, her chest rising and falling. Kara did as she was told, awkardly shifting as she sat on the edge of the bed with her feet on the floor, and a tense silence fell between them. They stared—Kara waiting for Lena to speak, Lena waiting for the words to come. “I didn’t think I was going to come here,” Lena finally said, her voice shaky. “I was ready to leave. My driver is outside, waiting for me.” Kara stayed still. “I haven’t slept more than a couple of hours at a time in days, maybe a week–”

“Lena–”

“All I want is to do the right thing,” Lena interrupted. “For the world, for you–”

“Lena–”

“And being selfish is not something I can afford to be,” Lena said strongly. “And so I should go. I should go.”

Kara didn’t say anything. Lena brought her hands up over her face and exhaled, the sound muffled against her skin. She dropped her hands and smiled, rueful. She nodded to herself and then walked straight toward Kara, her hands cupping Kara’s cheeks before she kissed her, solid and sure. 

Kara sighed, and the soft sound emboldened Lena to deepen the kiss, an action Kara eagerly reciprocated. Kara brought her hands up to Lena’s back, wrapping them around her waist and Lena felt Kara’s thighs frame her hips as she sank into her. They kissed until they couldn’t breath, Lena finally breaking away with a gentle gasp. She rested her forehead against Kara’s and Kara’s hands moved featherlight over Lena’s side, as Lena took a couple of calming breaths. She finally pulled back, the two searching each other’s eyes. “I thought you left,” Kara whispered, her fingers gently tightening her hold on Lena’s waist, confirming that she was indeed there. Lena nodded. “Lena–”

“I’m going back to Star City,” Lena said with conviction, her hands falling to rest on Kara’s collarbones.

“We don’t need to talk about this right now,” Kara soothed, her hands still running gently up and down Lena’s sides. 

“Yes we do. Because I can’t go back without this,” Lena said simply, her fingers lightly gripping at the collar of Kara’s sweater. “Without you.” Lena swallowed hard and exhaled sharply, her fingers relaxing and gently moving over the neckline of Kara’s shirt. “We would be long-distance, there’d be things we’d need to work out but–”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to go back unless–”

“Yes,” Kara said, nodding her head. “Whatever you want, as long as you want me.” 

“I want you,” Lena said. “I want us.”

Kara smiled brightly and Lena smiled in return, the reality of her decision settling over her and loosening the tight feeling from her chest she’d had since she’d moved from National City. “Come here,” Kara murmured, tugging Lena forward until they kissed, and Lena melted into the touch. Kara pulled back and smoothed her hand over Lena’s face. “You look so tired,” Kara said with concern.

“I am,” Lena admitted, her voice thin, and she reached up and took Kara’s hand in her own. 

“How are you still here?”

“Winn asked me to stay.” Before Kara could ask for more information, Lena took a deep breath and said, “Alex still hasn’t given you clearance to leave your bed?”

Kara’s face fell. “Alex is…” Her words faded. “She has other things on her mind.” Lena’s brow quirked in question and Kara met her eye. “She and Maggie are breaking up.”

“What?” 

“Kids,” Kara said simply and sadly.

Lena nodded softly. The question of whether to have children was always a thorny issue between Alex and Maggie. It was Kara’s concern about what Alex was giving up to be with Maggie that had initiated their own conversations about kids, both Kara and Lena relieved to find the other wanted a family, and that that particular issue wouldn’t exist as a wedge for them. “I had no idea she was going through all of that,” Lena said. “With everything with Lex…” 

“Alex is pretty good at compartmentalizing,” Kara said and Lena nodded, understanding the skill well. “I was actually going to go with Alex to Midvale for a while, as soon as they release me. Maybe tomorrow.”

“Good,” Lena said with a brief nod. “Eliza will be thrilled to have you both home.”

Kara shook her head. “I can’t believe you’re still here.” Lena hummed in response. “Why did Winn want you to stay?”

Lena slightly blushed at Kara’s tenacity. “He asked for another set of eyes on a project he’d been working on.” 

“And you stayed.”

Lena shrugged. “After everything Winn did to help me with the Warsuit and my device, it only felt right to return the favor.”

They stood close together, holding each other. Kara brushed her hand across Lena’s face again and Lena leaned into the touch. “You’re headed to Star City first thing in the morning?”

Lena opened her mouth and then closed it. “Actually, no.” Kara looked at Lena quizically. “I have a meeting in the morning in National City and if it goes well… I’ll fly to Gotham in the afternoon to see Lex.”

“Lena,” Kara warned, her body stiffening and Lena plowed ahead.

“I need to confront him,” Lena said. “For my own sanity.”

“OK, well. I’ll go with you.”

“No, Alex needs you, and you need to get away from everything while you recuperate,” Lena said, not voicing that she never wanted Lex and Kara in the same room, ever.

“You should have someone there to protect you.”

“And I will,” Lena said with a soft smile. She looked at Kara fondly. “I don’t think you’re in a position to protect anyone right now.” She looked to the sun lamp and then back to Kara, who frowned. “My meeting tomorrow is with James and… Hopefully, when I see Lex, I’ll have your cousin by my side.”

Kara’s lips thinned. “I’ll make sure he’s there.” Lena smiled and Kara breathed out heavily. “I can come to Star City as soon as I’m back from Midvale. I probably won’t be gone longer than a week.”

Lena shook her head. “I’ll be here by then. It’s the end of the fiscal year, I have meetings with Sam.”

“OK,” Kara said, her fingers gripping Lena and then relaxing. “Will you stay at your old apartment?” 

Lena nodded, then cocked her head, an idea coming to her. “When you get back to National City from Midvale, find me before you go home?”

“OK.” 

Lena smiled slightly, her fingers smoothing over Kara’s collarbones beneath her sweater. “I mean it,” Lena said. “Go straight to L-Corp or my place.”

“OK,” Kara said, blushing. “Do you…”

“What?”

“Is it it OK if I’m wearing my suit when I find you?” Lena looked confused. “My super suit,” Kara clarified.

“Yes,” Lena said, surprised.

“Because if it makes you uncomfortable–”

“It doesn’t,” Lena interrupted, her brow furrowing. Kara held her gaze, her eyes unsure, and Lena felt her stomach twist. She hated that Kara looked so insecure. “I love you, Kara. All of you.”

Kara stared at Lena for a beat, still unsure. “It’s OK if that’s not true yet. I can wait.”

Lena felt her stomach bottom out as her heart swelled. She reached up and kissed Kara, Kara kissing her back. Things quickly started to turn heavy, their kisses opened mouthed and hot, hips brushing together with increasing urgency until Lena pulled away, laughing. She met Kara’s confused gaze and then looked away, blushing. “Glass walls.”

“RIght,” Kara said, blushing, remembering exactly where they were. She looked to the glass walls behind Lena and then back to Lena and pulled her into a hug. She murmured into Lena’s hair. “I love you, too, you know.” 

Lena gently kissed Kara’s jaw and then settled into her embrace. “I know.”

Kara held her and then breathed out. “I want you to go get some sleep but I don’t want you to leave.”

Lena smiled and pulled back to meet Kara’s eye. “I don’t think J’onn held my suite for me.”

“Probably not,” Kara said. “Stay here?” Lena’s eyebrows raised and Kara blushed. She looked to the sun bed. “I know it’s not the most comfortable–”

“OK,” Lena said. Kara looked up, surprised, and Lena’s heart fluttered. “I don’t want to leave either.”

Kara beamed. She leaned back and awkwardly turned the sunlamp off and Lena started to protest. “It’s fine,” Kara assured, her legs gently squeezing Lena’s hips. “I’ll be fine for one night.” She hesistated and then kissed Lena, relaxing when Lena kissed her back. They pulled apart slowly, both flush, and Lena stepped back. Kara swung her legs back onto the bed and scooted as far as she could to the side, and Lena awkwardly climbed up and into Kara’s open arms. They shifted together until they were comfortable, Lena’s head resting on Kara’s shoulder. Kara wrapped her arms around Lena and kissed her hair. “Thank you for coming back.” 

Lena rotated her head and gently kissed Kara’s chest over her her heart, and Kara squeezed her in reply. Lena settled back against Kara and Kara used the remote attached to the bed to turn off the room’s overhead lights. They sunk into each other in the dark, Lena dropping off to sleep shortly after the lights dimmed, Kara’s heartbeat strong and soothing against her ear. 

*******************************************

“Hi.”

Kara opened her eyes, squinting against the flourescent lights shining into her medbay room from the open space beyond the glass walls. The nurse was smiling at her apologetically. “It’s time to take your blood,” she whispered, and Kara’s brow furrowed, wondering why the nurse was whispering, until she remembered that Lena was sleeping against her. Kara smiled, blushing at the nurse, who just smiled in return. “I just need your arm.”

Kara complied, gently moving her arm from where she held Lena and straightening it until the nurse could do her work. She winced as the needle broke skin and the nurse smiled reassuringly as she filled the vials, her voice still in whispers. “More resistance today. I don’t think we’ll be able to break skin tomorrow.” Kara smiled. The nurse finished and left, Kara’s arm once again wrapping around Lena. 

Lena stirred as Kara got comfortable, and Kara softly shushed her, her lips gently kissing her hair. Lena settled at the attention and fell back into a deep sleep, and Kara drifted off to sleep shortly after.

*******************************************

J’onn approached Kara’s room with his head hung low. The evening had been rough, Alex had been rough, sharp edges and tears until she fell asleep on his couch in the hours before dawn. Alex had been worse off than he’d expected, and his expectations were already low. She couldn’t stay in National City or she would drink herself to death. What Alex needed was Kara and distance, and he was determined to give both to her.

He slowed as he drew closer to Kara’s room, his brow furrowing. It was still early, sunlight just barely filtering in through the floor to ceiling walls by the stairwell. He walked to the glass wall and looked in, and his eyebrows arched as he saw Lena Luthor curled up against Kara, the two peacefully sleeping together on the narrow bed. His lips quirked into a smile and he exhaled with relief that at least one of his family seemed to have found some sort of peace. He backed away slowly, catching the eye of one of the nurses standing at the nurse’s station. “Status report on Supergirl.”

“Blood tests will be back within the half hour but all looks well.”

He frowned. “You were able to draw blood?”

Her face turned apologetic. “There was more resistence today.”

He nodded. He looked over his shoulder to Kara’s room before he turned back to the nurse. “How long as Supergirl had a guest?”

The nurse smiled, her cheeks dusting pink. “She was there when I came on duty at 4am, sir.”

He nodded and put his hands on his hips. “I don’t want anyone to disturb them for the rest of your shift.”

“Understood, sir,” she said.

He nodded, his lips turning up into a smile. He exhaled and exited back toward the main command area.

*******************************************

Lena groaned, coming back to wakefulness at the same time she realized there was a crick in her neck and that she was in danger of falling off the bed. 

“Good morning.”

Lena’s heart briefly stopped before her eyes shot open, and her heart skipped back to life at the sight of Kara smiling down at her. Lena couldn’t stop the megawat smile from pulling at her lips if she tried. “Good morning,” she said shyly. She turned her head and winced.

“What’s wrong?” Kara asked, immediately concerned. 

“Just slept funny,” Lena said, her hand coming up to rub at her neck. She smiled when Kara’s hand joined her, her fingers rubbing at Lena’s muscles. Lena met Kara’s eye, her smile indulgent. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Kara murmured, her strong fingers still working against Lena’s skin. “It’s so strange.”

“What?” Lena said, clearing the sleep from her throat and enjoying Kara’s attention.

“Touching you without my powers,” Kara said. Lena blushed bright red. “I don’t have to think so much,” Kara said. “It feels nice.”

Lena shifted and Kara’s hand stilled, waiting for Lena to get more comfortable. Lena instead moved so she was halfway on top of Kara and she kissed her. Kara’s muffled sound of surprise made Lena smile into the kiss and Kara replied in kind. “Good morning,” Lena said, her voice unexpectedly low and sultry. 

Kara felt the words between her legs. “Good morning,” she chuckled nervously. She could tell from the look on Lena’s face that she knew what she had done, and so Kara reached up and kissed Lena slowly, full of promise for a time when they weren’t on display in a glorfied fish bowl. They pulled back with contented sighs and enjoyed being in each other’s space. “What time is your meeting with James?” Kara finally asked.

“9:30.”

Kara chuckled. “It’s 9:20,” she said and she felt Lena stiffen. Kara laughed. “It’s OK, it’s OK,” she said as Lena made to pull away, Kara’s hands holding her against her. “You’re strong,” Kara said, genuinely surprised that it took real effort to keep Lena in place. Lena arched a brow and Kara blushed. “It doesn’t usually take much to keep you still.” Lena blushed in reply and Kara again chuckled. “I’ll text him that you’ll be a little late.”

“Thank you,” Lena said. She kissed Kara, once, twice and then pulled away to sit up. Kara watched her sit and stretch, Kara’s stomach flipping at the sight of Lena’s back muscles moving beneath her rumpled silk blouse. Kara cleared her throat and picked up her phone to quickly text James. 

“All done,” Kara said, hitting send, and Lena looked over her shoulder with a smile. “Gosh, you’re beautiful.” Lena blushed and Kara looked to her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Lena said, shifting so she could face Kara. “I like hearing it.”

Kara licked her lips bashfully. “I like saying it.”

They stared at each other with dopey smiles before Kara looked away, her phone buzzing. She read the screen. “He said his office door is open and to come by any time.”

Lena nodded. “Thank you.” She pushed herself to the edge of the bed, stretched once more and then stood, leaning down to slip her feet into her heels. She groaned slightly. 

“Sore?” Kara asked.

“A little,” Lena said, righting herself. She placed an affectionate hand on Kara’s arm. “Thank you for being my pillow.”

Kara beamed as Lena leaned forward and gently kissed her. “I’ll see you in one week?” Kara said, her hand on Lena’s arm. 

Lena nodded. “Text me while you’re gone?” she asked, her fingers tapping against the phone in Kara’s lap. 

“Try to stop me,” Kara said and Lena smiled. They kissed again before Lena chuckled and started to back away, her fingers still held by Kara. 

“I’ve got to go.”

“Be safe,” Kara said, her face turning serious as she squeezed Lena’s fingers.

Lena squeezed back. “Superman will protect me.”

“He will,” Kara said, her chin tiling up. “Or else he’ll have to deal with me.”

Lena beamed. She pulled her hand free and waved shyly as she walked slowly to the door. “Bye.”

“Bye,” Kara said with a tiny wave. Lena got to the door and laughed at herself. She crossed back to the bed and kissed Kara with all the passion she had, and Kara moaned into the kiss, her hands immediately coming up to thread into Lena’s hair. Lena pulled back abruptly and Kara blinked her eyes open in a daze. Lena smoothed her hands over Kara’s cheeks. “I love you.”

“I love you,” Kara murmured.

They kissed again and Lena reluctantly backed out of Kara’s grasp. “One week.”

“One week,” Kara repeated. She watched Lena until she couldn’t see her anymore, and then she whooped and laughed full-throated with joy, her body shimmying with happiness as she sat on her bed.

*******************************************

Several steps away from Kara’s room, Lena’s steps stuttered as she heard Kara celebrating, Kara’s muffled laughter making its way clearly to where she stood almost even with the nurse’s station. Lena accidentally made eye contact with the nurse on duty, who smiled at her as Lena’s cheeks darkened in embarrassment. “Have a good day, Ms. Luthor,” the nurse said, eyes twinkling with mirth, and Lena swallowed hard, nodding in acknowledgement before tilting her chin up and resuming her pace. She made it to where she turned toward the elevators before her facade cracked, and a wide smile pulling at her lips. She placed her hand on her stomach, and practically floated toward Winn’s lab and her abandoned bags.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem at the beginning: "Monologue For An Onion" by Suji Kwock Kim, https://poets.org/poem/monologue-onion


	13. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara wasn’t prepared for how broken Alex was. J’onn had warned Kara as he gave her the keys to his car when she was released from the DEO hours after Lena left, but his words didn’t do Alex’s condition justice. The tense set to her shoulders. The cloudy look in her eyes. The wounded way she would snap when addressed and then leak tears that she couldn’t wipe away fast enough before she just gave up and let them run down her neck. Kara had seen Alex in so many different vulnerable ways, but this, this was new and scary.
> 
> Kara wondered, as she held a sobbing and second-guessing Alex before they left for Midvale, if she had been this broken when Lena left, and she knew instinctviely that she had been. It put the previous three months into startling perspective, and when she squeezed Alex tight, Kara appreciated how scared Alex must have been for her.

Kara wasn’t prepared for how broken Alex was. J’onn had warned Kara as he gave her the keys to his car when she was released from the DEO hours after Lena left, but his words didn’t do Alex’s condition justice. The tense set to her shoulders. The cloudy look in her eyes. The wounded way she would snap when addressed and then leak tears that she couldn’t wipe away fast enough before she just gave up and let them run down her neck. Kara had seen Alex in so many different vulnerable ways, but this, this was new and scary.

Kara wondered, as she held a sobbing and second-guessing Alex before they left for Midvale, if she had been this broken when Lena left, and she knew instinctviely that she had been. It put the previous three months into startling perspective, and when she squeezed Alex tight, Kara appreciated how scared Alex must have been for her.

Their drive to Midvale was uneventful. Kara didn’t push for details and Alex didn’t offer any. They pulled into the drive late in the day, gravel crunching under the car tires, Eliza greeting them from the porch. Alex was stiff when Eliza embraced her, Kara and Eliza sharing a look of deep concern over her shoulder. Neither commented when Alex drank a bottle of wine herself at dinner. Eliza started to say something on the fourth glass, only to be cut off by a stern look from Kara. “Let her be tonight,” Kara said in a hushed tone as they washed dishes shoulder-to-shoulder later that night, and Eliza mutely agreed.

Kara didn’t tell Alex that she and Lena were back together. She texted Lena in secret once Alex was asleep in the twin bed next to hers, Kara’s comforter a tent over her glowing phone. 

Kara: Are you ok?  
Lena: Yes. Are you in Midvale?  
Kara: Yes  
Kara: Did you see Lex?  
Lena: Yes

Kara waited, her brow crinkled in concern as dots appeared and disappeared several times.

Lena: How’s Alex?

Kara exhaled. It wasn’t the words she’d expected, but she knew better than to push Lena. Lena and Alex were similar in that way. They needed to do things in their own time, on their own terms. Kara struggled to find the words needed to explain Alex’s mindset, and after trying and failing she simply sent back a sadface emoji.

Lena: I’m sorry  
Kara: Where are you?  
Lena: Star City. Landed an hour ago  
Kara: I’m glad you’re home 

It felt strange to type. That Lena’s home was a place she’d never seen. Kara shook it off.

Kara: You know I can fly from Midvale to Star City in less than a minute  
Lena: Your powers are back?  
Kara: No. I meant it more as a statement of fact  
Lena: For when you’re better  
Kara: I’ll be better soon  
Lena: Show me in one week  
Lena: <3  
Kara: One week <3

It continued like this during their week apart. Kara, nursing Alex back to balance and texting with Lena in secret. Alex caught her smiling at her phone occasionally but didn’t ask. Kara thought Alex might suspect, but if she did, she kept it to herself. Whether she did so because she was too broken hearted to acknowledge Kara’s better luck, or because she didn’t want to be wrong and hurt Kara, Kara didn’t know. 

Kara: The leaves are starting to change  
Lena: Must be beautiful  
Kara: I wish you could see  
Lena: Send me a picture

So she did. She sent other pictures after that. Pictures of the beach. Pictures of her that she took in secret from arms length away which Lena always marked with a heart. Little snapshots of the first place she called home on Earth to share with the woman she loved.

Kara finally broke on the third day in Midvale.

Kara: Do you want to talk about it?  
Lena: ?  
Kara: Lex

The dots danced and then disappeared more times than Kara could count before Lena replied.

Lena: No

The majority of their conversations were light. Happy even. Observations of their day or little things to get reaquainted. 

Lena: What was the name of that restaurant we ate at by the water?  
Kara: Limon?  
Lena: No, the one near the pier  
Kara: Shelter  
Lena: We should go there next week

Some of their conversations were heavier.

Kara: If I had asked you to stay before you moved, would you have?

The dots appeared and disappeared several times before the reply was abandoned. After a half an hour of silence Kara almost texted again, something benign to break the tension, but then Lena’s words appeared suddenly.

Lena: That question would have broken me

Kara hesistated before replying. 

Kara: Is that a yes?

The response came hours later in the middle of the night, the phone’s buzz waking Kara from her sleep.

Lena: Yes

Kara didn’t know if that answer was the truth, or if it was what Lena wished was the truth. 

They don’t go a day without saying good night. Kara snuck hers in as she watched late-night movies on the couch with Eliza and Alex, or as Alex brushed her teeth before bed. Lena always responded right away, and Kara could imagine Lena smiling at her phone at her desk at work or on her couch at home, her lap covered in a mountain of papers. 

Kara: I love you  
Lena: I love you

They said it often, more than Kara had thought they would, and every time it was like a stich that mended their torn relationship. The first time Kara typed it her fingers trembled. She almost chickened out, sent a heart emoji but being vulnerable and honest with Lena was the goal of these conversations, so she took a deep breath and typed the words. She typed the words and marvled with they were typed back quickly. She wondered if this practice would make it easier for them when they were together. 

She also wondered if other texts would make it easier for them when they were together.

Lena: I had a dream about you last night  
Kara: ?  
Lena: It was a good dream

Lena used the blushing face emoji and Kara’s heart skipped a beat. She bit her lip as she typed.

Kara: What was dream me doing?  
Lena: So many good things

Kara typed and erased a number of replies before she held her breath and hit send.

Kara: Real me does good things too  
Lena: Oh I am aware

In other exchanges, Kara sought out the familiar teasing they’d had before everything fell apart. The friendship that was the heart of their relationship.

Kara: Did I ever tell you that I love candy corn?  
Lena: No but it doesn’t surprise me  
Lena: Is there any food that you don’t love?  
Lena: No, don’t say it  
Kara: Say what  
Lena: Kara

Kara sent a string of vegetable emojis followed by five puking face emojis. Kara laughed, her hand over her mouth to muffle the sound when the rolling eye emoji came through.

Lena: I will find a vegetable you’ll love  
Kara: Are you threatening me  
Lena: Promising  
Kana: I tolerate candied yams  
Lena: No  
Kara: Extra marshmallows  
Lena: Kara

Alex improved a little each day. Became a little less numb, a little less dependent on counting each second in each minute of each day as a reminder to just keep breathing. Being in the water helped, and Kara spent many long hours watching Alex surf from the sandy dunes. Eliza and Kara agree by the fourth day that she was improving, though that word didn’t mean better. Just safer than she’d been when she’d arrived. 

Kara: I flew today  
Lena: Your powers are back?  
Kara: Mostly. It was more of a hover than a zoom though  
Lena: How do you feel?  
Kara: Relieved  
Lena: <3  
Kara: When do you go back to National City?  
Lena: In the morning. You?  
Kara: I don’t know. A few days?  
Lena: Find me?  
Kara: Yes

It’s Alex who initiated their return. She whispered to Kara in the dark of their shared bedroom that she needed to get back to the DEO. To Agent Danvers, the self she wanted to be as she recovered from her break up. Kara offered to let Alex stay with her once they were home but Alex quickly declined. “Ripping off the bandaid has always been my style.” Kara doesn’t argue, though she doesn’t necessarily agree. Kara knew how hard it was to be in a space that was once shared, and Lena hadn’t even been living with her when they split. She worried about how Alex would handle it.

Kara: We’re driving home in the morning  
Kara: Will you be at L-Corp tomorrow?  
Lena: Yes  
Lena: Drive safe <3  
Kara: We will <3

The sisters left Midvale early the next day with the radio playing, Alex allowing Kara to drive so she could get caught up on her work email. She only regreted the decision to let Kara behind the wheel once or twice, Kara red-faced as she apologized for her driving transgressions. They were 20 miles outside of National City before Alex said it. "I'm happy for you. Happy that you and Lena are working things out.” 

Kara looked to Alex, surprised, and then back to the road. Alex cocked her head as she looked at Kara’s shocked profile. "I know you think you’re sneaky, but you're not."

Kara smiled weakly. "I wasn't keeping it from you."

"It's fragile," Alex said. She frowned. “Or you think I'm fragile,” she amended, and Kara didn't reply. "Only, I'm not," Alex said, giving Kara a meaningful look. “Lena came to see me before she left National City.”

“She did?” Kara asked. She couldn’t imagine how that conversation went; Alex had been a hungover mess that morning.

“She asked me for a favor.” Kara was quiet, her brain working in overtime to try and figure out what favor Lena could possibly ask of Alex. “I want you to know that I support you in this.” Kara’s attention went back to Alex as she briefly met her eye. “Unconditionally."

"Thank you." 

They didnt speak again until Kara hugged Alex goodbye in the DEO parking garage, Alex taking J’onn’s keys with her as she entered the building.

 _Find me._

Lena's instructions were clear and Kara swallowed hard as repeated Lena’s words in her mind. Kara’s excitement about seeing Lena was quickly being overcome by nerves. Texting was one thing, but being in the same space… Kara took another several deep breathes, placed her glasses on her face, and walked the six blocks to L-Corp.

**********************************

Sam and Lena looked up from where they sat across from each other at Sam’s desk at the knock on Sam’s office door. Sam’s assistant stuck her head inside and smiled. "Ms Luthor, Kara Danvers is here to see you.”

Lena immediately stood up, her hands smoothing down the front of her outfit, and Sam’s eyebrows rose as she watched Lena’s nervous reaction. Kara entered the room with a thank you to Sam’s assistant, her attention only turning to the the office’s occupents when the door closed. Kara pushed her glasses higher with the edge of her palm, and Sam’s smile grew as she looked between Lena and Kara, both staring at each other warmly.

“Hey, Kara,” Sam said as she stood up.

"Hi Sam.” Kara blushed before she looked nervously back to a speechless Lena, and Sam’s smile grew wider. After a moment of awkward silence, Sam spoke. "So, I'm gonna go." Both Lena and Kara turned to her to protest but Sam just held up her hands. “There’s a breakroom banana with my name on it and I promised I’d call Ruby after school to check in about dinner. It’s good to see you, Kara.” Kara nodded shyly as Sam exited. 

Kara looked back to Lena after the door closed and they both chuckled nervously. "Hi,” Kara said softly as Lena started to walk toward her. 

"Kara Danvers?" Lena asked with an amused tilt of her head.

Kara blushed and fidgeted with her eyeglasses. “Yeah, well…” She hesitated. "I actually start back at CatCo next week." Lena's brow slightly crumpled. "James and Lois are working on an expose about the corruption in the prison system and they've asked me to help."

"And that's what you want?" Lena fished, her brow knit.

Kara nodded. ”It's _one_ of the things I want..." She smiled as she moved closer to Lena, Lena chuckling in reply. Kara gently wrapped her arms around a smiling Lena’s waist, and Kara leaned in to kiss her, only stopping when Lena pulled back at the last minute. Kara’s grasp immediately loosened, concerned she’d been too presumptive and Lena just smiled. She reached up and gently removed Kara’s glasses.

"Hi,” Lena said softly as she brushed a piece of hair from Kara’s face with her free hand and Kara relaxed.

"Hi," Kara smiled. 

“Did you just get in?”

Kara nodded. “Dropped Alex at the DEO and came straight here, just like you asked.”

“Thank you,” Lena said with a smile before she pressed her lips against Kara’s. The kiss started innocent enough before quickly intensifying, their time apart adding an eagerness to the embrace. 

Kara moved her lips to kiss Lena's neck and Lena gasped. “We shouldn't be doing this,” she said, doing absolutely nothing to stop Kara.

"Uh huh,” Kara agreed, her lips moving to Lena’s earlobe.

"This isn't technically my office anymore.”

"You own the building,” Kara murmured into Lena’s neck and Lena laughed. Kara’s hands dipped lower and Lena sucked in air, then moaned as Kara pulled their hips flush. “I missed you.”

“Me too,” Lena sighed, her fingers tangling in Kara’s hair.

Kara’s hands grew more bold until she stopped abruptly and growled. "Winn."

"What?" Lena asked startled, pulling her head back to catch Kara’s eye.

Kara looked to Lena apologetically and pointed to her right ear. "What's wrong, Winn?" Realization dawned on Lena’s face and she stepped back, creating space between them. She casually wiped at her lipstick, affectionaly amused as she watched Kara listen to her earpiece with growing annoyance. “Fine. I’ll be right there,” Kara finally grumbled. She looked at Lena apologetically.

"Duty calls, Supergirl,” Lena chuckled and Kara groaned. Lena stepped forward and rubbed her thumb along the edge of Kara’s lip to fix her lipstick. Her breath hitched when Kara’s eyes darkened. “Find me when you're done,” Lena said softly and Kara’s cheeks went pink.

"OK.”

Lena took Kara’s shirt collar in her hands, straightening it. She felt nervous and it showed as she met Kara’s eye. “Be safe.” 

Kara’s lips pulled into a cocky smile. “Always.” She took her glasses from Lena’s hand and placed them on her face. She kissed Lena, careful to not mess up her lipstick further, and then turned for the door. Lena placed her hands on her stomach and exhaled slowly, her heart thudding hard against her ribcage as she watched Kara leave.

**********************************

It was a sound she’d missed, Kara’s boots landing gently on the cement platform of her balcony. Lena closed the lid of her laptop and turned from her place at her kitchen island as Kara stepped into her apartment through the door she’d left open, Kara’s cape fluttering behind her. “Supergirl,” Lena said with an amused twist to her lips.

Kara laughed, blushing adorably. “Sorry, that took longer than I thought…” She thumbed to the night sky behind her.

“Everything all right?” Lena asked, standing as Kara approached. 

“Yes,” Kara said. She stopped nervously before Lena. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Lena murmured back before kissing Kara. Kara sighed and Lena’s hands came up to rest on the crest on Kara’s chest. 

“Is this OK,” Kara whispered, looking down, and Lena nodded her head, bringing their lips together again.

When they broke apart Lena caught Kara’s eye. She still looked nervous. “Did you come to L-Corp as your alter ego earlier because you were worried I wouldn’t be OK with you as Supergirl?”

“Maybe.”

Lena kissed her. “Disabuse yourself of that notion immediately,” she said softly and Kara smiled, their heads still close. “Have you been off fighting crime this whole time?”

“Yes,” Kara said. “Well, I mean, no.” Lena’s brow knit. “I had a little time to shower at the DEO before I flew here, but I haven’t even had time to eat dinner.”

Lena’s eyes narrowed. “You had time to shower but not eat?” Kara blushed bright red, her mouth opening and closing. “Oh, I see.”

Kara scrunched up her nose. “It’s not– We haven’t seen each other in a while–”

“Several hours,” Lena deadpanned and Kara arched her eyebrows. 

“I wanted to smell nice for you,” she said in a small voice. 

Lena chuckled and leaned close to Kara’s neck. She inhaled and hummed, her lips barely brushing against Kara’s skin and Kara swallowed thickly. Lena pulled back and met Kara’s eye. “You must be starving.”

“So hungry,” Kara agreed, her eyes fixed on Lena’s lips.

Lena’s grin grew. “You should probably eat.”

“I should,” Kara agreed before she captured Lena’s lips in a kiss. The kiss turned passionate and Kara pressed Lena against the counter. “I know we should take things slow,” Kara gasped, Lena’s hips rocking into hers. “But Rao, I want you.”

“I want you, too,” Lena said and Kara’s fingers tightened on her hips. Lena captured her lips, her hands sliding down over the crest on her chest and Kara groaned.

“Lena,” Kara breathed out as they broke apart and Lena recognized the desire. 

“Can we take this to your place?” Kara’s brow quirked in confusion. “Please?” Lena asked and Kara smiled. 

“Sure,” she said, still confused but going with it. 

“I’ll call Frank,” Lena murmured.

“Why call him when we could…” Kara nodded toward the balcony and Lena laughed. 

“You want to _fly_ me to your apartment.” Kara shrugged, a smile on her lips. Lena cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “You know I hate to fly.”

“You hate to fall,” Kara corrected. “And I would never drop you.”

Lena thought about it, looking away. It felt like an offer of trust that she’d regret turning down. “Fine.” Kara rocked up on the balls of her toes, a huge smile exploding across her face. “My face is going to be buried in your neck the whole time,” Lena warned.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Kara stepped forward and uncermoniosly swept Lena in to her arms, bridal style.

“I might break your neck, I’ll be holding on so tight,” Lena again warned, her eyes showing how nervous she was as she wrapped her arms around Kara.

Kara just laughed. “You’re cute.” Lena’s lips thinned and Kara smiled. “Ready?”

Lena took in a deep breath and just nodded. Kara floated them a few feet off the ground and Lena’s entire body tensed. “Relax,” Kara whispered. She leaned forward and kissed Lena. 

Lena did as she was told, and when she opened her eyes they were floating out her balcony door and away from her building. “Oh god,” she muttered, squeezing her eyes tight and Kara gently laughed as Lena tucked her forehead against Kara’s skin, true to her word.

The flight was short, Lena relieved when Kara set her down on the floor of her living room. Kara kissed her and Lena returned the kiss with more fire. The kisses were passionate before Kara broke off, Kara laughing at the perplexed look on Lena’s face. “Hold this thought, I need to eat.” Lena ducked her chin to her shoulder, smiling devilishly and Kara blushed and laughed. “No, really, I need to eat food.” She leaned forward and kissed Lena’s nose before slipping from her grasp and making her way to the fridge.

“You’re serious,” Lena said, not at all believing that Kara is going to delay kissing her for food.

Kara smiled and pulled things from her fridge. “Supergirl burns a lot of calories and I need to eat to function. Trust me, you want a well-fed me for the stuff we’re about to do.”

Lena arched an eyebrow at Kara’s assumption and Kara had the good sense to blush. 

“I’ll be fast,” Kara said. She made her sandwich in super speed, and then went to take a bite in normal speed. She caught Lena’s look over her shoulder. “Super speed eating gives me the hiccups.”

Lena huffed and sat on a stool at the kitchen island. Kara started to eat, leaning her back against the kitchen counter. They smiled at each other before Lena gave Kara a coy look. Lena leaned back slightly and started to slowly unbutton her silk blouse. Kara’s eyes went wide as she chewed and Lena smiled, continuing.

“That is so unfair,” Kara said around a mouthful of food. 

“Then hurry up,” Lena said.

Kara whined, her brow furrowing. “Two of the things I love most, eating and watching you undress, and it’s not as much fun doing them at the same time as I thought it would be.”

Lena cocked her head and continued, her gaze locked on Kara as her fingers worked. Lena pulled the shirt apart after she popped the last button free, the silk framing her deep red bra. Kara took two more large bites, chewed and swallowed. She put the plate down and in a flash she was gone from the room and then back, pulling Lena gently from the chair and into her arms. “Hi,” Kara said, her face close to Lena’s. 

“Hi,” Lena said, surprised.

“I brushed my teeth,” Kara said with a bright smile and Lena laughed. 

“I smell that, thank you.”

Kara’s hands moved from Lena’s waist down to her rear end and Lena arched a playful eyebrow. Kara went to slip her thigh between Lena’s legs and huffed in frustration when the fabric of Lena’s skirt wouldn’t give. “Why do you wear such tight skirts,” she complained, her fingers finding the skirt’s zipper along the back. 

“Do you really need to ask?” Lena replied and Kara smiled devilishly. 

“Is this OK,” Kara whispered, her fingers toying with the zipper at the base of Lena’s back and Lena nodded.

“Yes.”

Kara unzipped the skirt and pushed it to the floor as she leaned in and kissed Lena, a gentle kiss that quickly turned passionate. Kara picked Lena up and they laughed, Lena kicking off her heels as Kara carried Lena toward the bedroom. They got to the threshold of the bedroom and Kara’s grip suddenly faltered. She stumbled and they fell onto Kara’s bed in a heap. “I’m so sorry, are you OK? I don’t know what…” Kara trailed off and stood, eyes wide, her whole bedroom bathed in red light.

“Surprise,” Lena said, pushing herself up onto her elbows as she lay on Kara’s bed and studied her reaction.

“Lena?” Kara asked.

“It’s a red sun simulator,” Lena said, watching closely as Kara looked around the room at the machine Lena had had installed along the ceiling line. 

“What?” Kara asked, looking to Lena.

“The project you asked Winn to work on?” Lena said and Kara blushed fiercely. “I finished it.” Kara looked to her own body with wonder, and then back up to meet Lena’s eye. “It should feel like it did on Krypton, minus the increased gravity.”

“It does,” Kara said, tears starting in her eyes. “Rao, it does.” She laughed and then looked to Lena. “I can’t fly.” 

“Nope,” Lena said, shaking her head.

Kara reached over to the bed and picked up a pillow. She tried to pull it apart at the seams and nothing happened. She laughed, amazed before she quickly sobered. “OK, but. What. What if someone found out and I was here, and–“

“There are two kill switches, one voice activated; you say the word and it shuts off immediately.”

“OK,” Kara said, reassured. “What’s the word?” 

Lena smiled before demurring. “I’ll tell you later? If I say it now the whole system will shut off and getting it to unlock is pretty time consuming. Version 1.0, and all.” She smiled. “The system recognizes my voice, as well.”

Kara nodded. “What if the power goes out?”

“It has a back up generator, which has a back up generator of it’s own.” 

Kara smiled. “You think of everything.” She looked around. “How did you get into my apartment to install this?”

“I asked Alex for your spare key before you left for Midvale,” Lena blushed. 

Kara blanched. “She knows about the–“

“No,” Lena said, her own cheeks turning rosier. “Alex and I have come a long way but I couldn’t… I told her it was for a romantic gesture.” Kara looked marginally relieved. “She probably thinks I’m proposing,” Lena said with an amused smile. 

Kara’s resulting smile was immense and innocent. “Why would she think that?”

“No reason,” Lena said, enjoying the look on Kara’s face. Kara stood, and shook her head, amazed. She bit her lip and looked to Lena, a look that made Lena breathless. “What?” Lena asked.

“I don’t have to worry about possibly breaking your fingers if you put them inside of me,” Kara said and Lena felt it between her legs. She swallowed hard.

“Take your suit off.”

Kara’s grin grew. She suddenly started to flail as she pulled at her suit and Lena’s brow furrowed as she watched Kara struggle. Kara stopped and blushed. “I don’t have super speed in this room. Just, one…” She held up a finger and backed out of the room. There was a flurry of sound and Kara came immediately skidding back into the room, completely naked, stopping and smiling at Lena from the foot of the bed. 

Lena was momentarily speechless. “You…” Lena exhaled. “You are the most gorgeous person I’ve ever seen.”

Kara smiled and raised an eyebrow. “More than Jack?”

Lena’s face crumpled. “Why… would you…”

Kara slapped her hands over her face in embarrassment. “I don’t know! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Lena rolled her eyes and scooted forward on the bed. “Come here,” she said, reaching forward and pulling Kara toward her with her feet. “Come here,” she said again, grabbing Kara’s arms with her hands and pulling her on top of her. They fell back on the bed giggling. Lena brushed Kara’s hair from her face, smiling at the bright blush on her cheeks. “You’re adorable,” Lena said, leaning in for a kiss. The kiss quickly deepened, Lena’s hands burying in Kara’s hair. They kissed for a minute before Kara broke the kiss, a concerned look on her face.

“Please don’t think about him while we have sex.”

“Oh my god,” Lena said, pushing at Kara’s shoulders and rolling them over. Lena straddled Kara, exhaling patiently at the insecure look on Kara’s face. “How could I possibly think about anyone else with you naked in front of me?” Lena traced her fingertips over Kara’s stomach. “Weak as a lamb,” Lena teased, her voice sultry. 

Kara’s brow quirked, and she made a little offended sound. “I am not weak.” She flexed her arms and stomach and Lena gasped as Kara showed off exactly how strong she was, even beneath the red light. Lena ground herself against Kara’s taut stomach and they both groaned. Lena leaned forward and kissed Kara as Kara’s hands came up and cupped Lena’s ass. “I want to lick your whole body,” Lena said, breaking their kiss and licking at Kara’s lips, and Kara swallowed hard. 

When Kara didn’t object, Lena abandoned Kara’s lips for her neck, nipping and licking at the soft skin that she knew was particularly sensitive. She then slid down to her collarbones before making her way to Kara’s breasts. She kissed them thoroughly, Kara starting to squirm in earnest below her. Lena slid slower and Kara gasped as Lena’s breasts settled against her hips, her stomach flat against her center. Kara rolled her hips and brushed against Lena’s smooth skin; it felt good, but wasn’t enough friction. Lena slid even lower, and without preamble, licked Kara’s length. Kara gasped, her eyes wide and Lena did it again.

“Lena,” Kara said, her voice worried and Lena immediately stopped, pulling herself up on her elbows to make eye contact.

“I’m here,” she said, reaching forward and grabbing Kara’s hand. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah,” Kara said, taking in a deep breath and licking her lips. She looked down her body at Lena between her legs and Kara’s center clenched. She’d never allowed Lena to do this before; she was always too worried about accidentally breaking her beautiful face with a particularly ill-timed thrust of her hips. Kara swallowed hard. “That felt really good.”

Lena smiled. “Yeah,” she said. Her smile faded a shade. “Do you want me to keep going?”

Kara nodded. “Yes.”

Lena nodded in reply and slid back down, keeping her fingers threaded with Kara’s. Lena started slow, nipping at Kara’s labia, soft licks slipping between the folds before Kara squirmed. Kara squeezed their joined hands and Lena squeezed back, letting go, her hands moving to grip Kara’s thighs. Lena licked her length entirely, her tongue making a dramatic swirl over Kara’s clit and Kara gasped.

Lena settled into a rhythm and Kara’s face twisted, one hand clenching the sheets, one hand grasping the pillow beneath her head. Her legs started to shake and Kara looked down her body; Lena was looking at her, watching as her breasts bounced, as her pleasure built. Kara dropped her head back to her pillow and thrust, her hips moving messily and when it happened, her orgasm shattered her, her back bowed until she gently grabbed at Lena’s head to stop. It was the most intense orgasm of her life and she felt it in every part of her body. She fell back against the bed and sagged, Lena’s warm mouth still between her legs. As Kara came back to herself, her breath heavy, Lena gently removed her lips. She trailed several kisses along the inside of Kara’s thigh before wiping her face on the sheet and pulling herself up onto her elbows between Kara’s legs. 

Lena watched as Kara came back to herself, enjoying the view. After a long moment Kara laughed. “That wasn’t fingers inside.”

Lena chuckled, low and sultry. “We have time for that later.”

“Yeah, we do,” Kara said through a big smile, happy to her core. Kara looked down her body and did a double take. Kara’s lips quirked into a smile as she looked at the intense look on Lena’s face. “What?”

“What?” Lena asked, startled out of her thoughts.

“You have Science Face.”

“What?” Lena asked, confused. 

“The face you get when you’re trying to figure out some science thing.”

Lena’s facial expression turned serious. “If it’s possible, I want to have children with you someday.” It was too big of thing to say given their status, a promise for a future they’d only just realized they might have again, but it surprisingly sat comfortably between them.

The smile on Kara’s face exploded and she raised her eyebrows. “Can we make them the old fashioned way?”

Lena smiled. “God, I hope so.”

“Come here,” Kara said and Lena grinned. She instead pushed up onto her knees, opening her legs wide and rocking her hips forward between Kara’s open legs. Kara sucked in a deep breath, her arousal flaring. Lena smiled and pushed her blouse open to frame her breasts as she’d done earlier in the kitchen. Kara swallowed hard as she watched, Lena’s fingers playing with the silk. Lena pushed the fabric from her shoulders, arching her back so the shirt slid down her arms to pool on the bed behind her. She moved her arms to reach behind her body to unfasten her bra when Kara abruptly sat up, grasping her arms and stilling her motion. Lena’s chest was pressed against Kara’s and Lena chuckled. 

“Eager?”

Kara smiled back and lowered her chin, kissing the swell of Lena’s breasts. “You aren’t?” she teased. She dropped her hand from Lena’s arm and placed it between her legs, Lena hissing slightly at the touch through her underwear and Kara smiled. “Feels like you are.”

Lena unhooked her bra and let it fall to Kara’s lap, and before she could come back with a snappy retort, Kara was tossing the bra to the side and flipping them over, Lena landing on the mattress with a soft thud. “Still think I’m weak?” Kara asked.

“A little,” Lena said, shifting as Kara’s hands moved to her hips. Kara chuckled and hooked her fingers in Lena’s underwear, pulling the fabric down her legs. 

“A little,” Kara repeated sheepishly as she acknowedged Lena wasn’t referring to her physical strength. Kara climbed back up Lena’s body, her knee pushing Lena’s legs apart. She settled on top of Lena, careful to keep her body away from where she knew Lena wanted it. “This is kind of exciting,” Kara said, glancing at the lamps and then back to Lena. “Another perk of dating a super genius,” she joked, and something about the look in Kara’s eye, reverant and singular made Lena turn serious.

She thought of how she left. How she treated Kara when they broke up and tears started to prick unexpectedly at her eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” Kara said, noticing the change, and Lena quickly shook her head, smiling. 

“Nothing,” Lena said. When Kara didn’t speak, Lena pushed her smile wider, her eyes still deadly serious. “I don’t deserve you.”

Kara’s face turned a little more serious, and with barely any warning she reached her hand between them, coated her fingers in the wetness she found and pressed into Lena with two fingers deep. Lena opened her mouth wide as she stretched. “Yes, you do,” Kara said with a confidence that made Lena shudder. Kara pulled her fingers back out slow, dragging them as she went before she circled just inside and pressed back in. Lena moaned. Kara kissed her neck as she repeated the motion. She said something in what Lena now recognized to be Krytonian, and Lena’s brow furrowed as she met Kara’s eye. “I love you,” Kara repeated in English and Lena nodded her head.

“You’re going to teach me how to say that,” Lena said and Kara laughed, her fingers pressing in and then dragging back out. Lena moaned, “God, I love you.”

Kara pressed her weight into Lena, her lips dragging along her jawline. “You’re so beautiful,” Kara murmured and Lena screwed her eyes tight as Kara’s fingers settled into a tantalizing rhythm, slow, dragging and circling in a way that made Lena throb. Lena started to chase Kara’s fingers as they pulled out and Kara took the hint, shortening her strokes, speeding up her thrusts and the room began to fill with the sound of Kara’s fingers working between Lena’s legs and their panting breath. 

“Kara.” Kara dropped her head and took one of Lena’s nipples in her mouth and Lena groaned, loud and ragged, Kara’s body pressing her legs open wider as her fingers worked. “God,” Lena groaned, turning her head before she arched her back. She took her hand and wrapped her fingers in Kara’s hair and Kara moaned, the sound vibrating against Lena’s breast and she swore she was about to black out. She looked down her body and the feeling of seeing Kara fuck her overwhelmed her. She came with a broken cry, her back bowing almost violently, Kara’s weight pressing her back into the mattress. Kara’s mouth came free from Lena’s breast and her fingers slowed, and she pressed her palm into Lena’s clit as she rode out her orgasm. 

Lena finally collapsed against the mattress, her lungs sucking in deep breaths, her eyes closed. When her breath started to even, she felt Kara shift. Lena sucked air through her teeth as Kara carefully removed her fingers. Lena opened her eyes to see Kara staring intently at her. “Thank you,” Lena said before clearing her throat. “Thank you,” she repeated a little more clearly. 

“Thank you,” Kara murmured as she kissed Lena’s temple. Kara gathered Lena to her and held her as she settled on her back, Lena curving along her side, her head resting on Kara’s shoulder. “I love you,” Kara whispered and Lena weakly squeezed Kara’s waist.

“I love you.” Lena swallowed hard and focused her attention on Kara. “Are you OK?”

“Yeah,” Kara replied. When Lena didn’t speak, Kara realized she was waiting for more. “It’s a little weird, touching you under the red light.”

“Yeah?” Lena asked. 

“Yeah,” Kara said. She struggled with how to explain how strange it was to abandon a lifetime of restraint in less than an hour. How strange it felt to be with Lena as if she were on Krypton. “It’s good, though,” Kara finally said, her voice quiet. “I like being close to you,” she said, nuzzling her lips against Lena’s forehead and Lena hummed. They settled into quiet, each gently stroking the other’s skin, their breaths returning to normal. After several long moments of quiet, Kara spoke. “Am I the idiot?”

“I’m sorry?” Lena asked, looking up, her brow knit. 

Kara briefly stilled her hand that had been running up and down Lena’s naked back. “The poem that you said reminded you of us, ‘Monologue for an Onion’.”

Lena opened her mouth and then closed it again. “No.”

“Am I the onion?” Kara asked, confused.

“I’m the onion and the idiot,” Lena said and Kara frowned. Lena sighed and propped herself up on her elbow so she could make eye contact. “I thought that I was prepared when we got together, that I knew what it was like to be in a romantic relationship. But things with you were so different than any other relationship that I’d been in before… I was so used to guarding my heart, because of my name and my history with my family… But with you…” She sighed. “When I left. I had to pretend I didn’t have a heart. The poem—it resonated.”

Kara took in a deep breath and wrapped her arms around Lena. “I don’t like that.”

Lena laughed as she put her head on Kara’s chest. “It’s just a poem.”

“I don’t like that you could ever think that you don’t have a heart,” Kara said, her lips moving against Lena’s hair. “You have the biggest heart of anyone I know.” Lena scoffed and Kara gently squeezed her. “You do.”

“You are too kind.”

“I don’t like that either,” Kara murmured and Lena stilled in her arms.

“What?”

“When you brush my compliments off like you think I only offer them because I’m in love with you.”

Lena pulled back and met Kara’s eye.

“You’re a good person, Lena. Beautiful, and smart. And you have the biggest heart of anyone I know.”

Lena was still for a long moment. “Thank you.” They were quiet for a long moment. “Did I ever tell you that I took a Literature course as an undergrad?”

“Doesn’t everyone for Gen Ed credit?”

Lena smiled and rested her head on Kara’s chest. “Mine was an upper level course. American Poetry.”

“You took a poetry class?” Kara asked, amazed.

“I got an A,” Lena said proudly.

“Well of course you did,” Kara murmured into Lena’s hair. “Did you ever get anything lower?”

“I got a B in O Chem.” Kara arched her neck to look at Lena. “I was 17 and taking a 24 unit course load.”

“That sounds right,” Kara said, settling back and holding Lena. “So, the poetry class…”

“It was called, ‘Does Poetry Matter’. I was having a crisis, of sorts, regarding my future at Luthor Corp and…” Lena shrugged. “It was a whim.” Kara kissed Lena’s hair and Lena smiled. “I had a great teacher,” Lena murmured. “He was very passionate about words.”

“Well, words are important.”

Lena hummed, happily. “I had always thought reading poetry was like solving a puzzle, something you could only understand if you could decode its hidden meaning. But my teacher said that no, poems were just words, and it was enough to enjoy the way that the words sounded together, or to soak in how the poem made you feel when you read it.” Lena paused. “‘Monologue for an Onion’ hurt like how I hurt. It was that feeling, more than anything, that made me think of how I felt when I left you. That some of the symbolism matched how I felt as well was almost secondary.”

Kara was quiet for a long moment as she let Lena’s words sink in. “I read a lot of poetry when I first got here, to Earth,” Kara said. “It helped me understand that words were not always literal, that they could mean many things, or nothing at all. Which was confusing, and still trips me up sometimes.”

Lena had a million questions, but almost all felt too heavy for this moment. “Who’s your favorite poet?”

“Shel Silverstein.” Lena barked out a laugh and Kara’s brow furrowed. “What? _Where the Sidewalk Ends_ is a great book.”

“It is,” Lena agreed, fondly.

“I also like Mary Oliver.”

“Me too.”

“We’re going to have to share poems now, aren’t we?”

“I’ll sign you up for the Poem-of-The-Day newsletter I get.”

Kara snorted, and then hugged Lena. “I’d like that,” she murmured into Lena’s hair. They lay still for another long stretch of silence. 

Lena looked up when the body beneath her started to jiggle, Kara laughing quietly. Lena arched her neck and saw Kara’s free hand covering her face. “What?”

Kara dropped her hand and looked down at Lena with a warm smile. “I can’t believe you got my keys from Alex for this.” Lena could tell the red on Kara’s cheeks was from more than the red lamp light.

“Should I have not?” Lena asked, her brow crinkling.

“No, that’s not–” Kara said. “I am definitely glad that you did.” Lena relaxed a shade as Kara’s hold on her momentarily tightened. “I just.” She stopped, sighing. “You told Alex that this was for a ‘romantic gesture’ and then I spent the entire next week in Midvale pretending like we weren’t back together.”

“Oh.”

When Lena didn’t say anything else, Kara looked down at her. Lena met her eye and shrugged, vulnerable. Kara exhaled and shifted so that she was facing Lena, Lena adjusting her head until they shared a pillow. “I didn’t hide it because I was– I wanted her to know, I want everyone to know that we’re back together.” Her fingers ran along Lena’s side comfortingly. “I just didn’t want to rub it in her face after everything with Maggie.”

“I get it,” Lena said. Kara ducked her head to meet her eye and make sure, and Lena smiled, her hand coming up to brush over Kara’s cheek. “I do. You love her, and she’s hurting. I get it.” Kara leaned forward and kissed Lena’s forehead and they stayed close, their breaths mingling as Kara held Lena. “Is she going to be OK?”

Kara’s lips quirked. “I think so. With time, I hope.”

Lena nodded. Kara’s hand was steadily sliding along the skin on her side, warm and strong. When Lena met her gaze, she saw nothing but trust and love. Lena took in a deep breath and then exhaled. “I will tell you about seeing Lex,” Lena said softly, feeling how Kara’s touch stuttered and then restarted. “Someday.”

“Or never,” Kara said softly. “It’s OK either way.” Lena nodded and Kara nodded in return, an agreement reached. Kara let her fingers drift across Lena’s skin for a moment in silence before she spoke. “I was really nervous about seeing you today.”

“Me too,” Lena admitted, and she smiled at Kara’s gentle squeeze of acknowledgement.

Kara took in a deep breath and pushed it out with a wide smile. “Thank you.” Lena cocked her head in question. “For this,” Kara said, pointing to the ceiling. “For being here.” For forgiving her, and a million other things Kara couldn’t put into words.

Kara thought Lena’s voice seemed to hold more than the two words she spoke in reply. “Of course.” They slipped into another prolonged silence, breathing gently next to each other, fingers slipping comfortingly against each other’s skin. After several long minutes, Kara exhaled and rubbed her fingers teasingly up and down Lena’s spine. “Do you need to go home anytime soon?” she asked and Lena chuckled. Kara was a lot of things, but subtle was not one of them.

“No.”

Kara smiled, catching Lena’s eye. “Good.” Lena’s laugh echoed throughout the red-lit room until it was swallowed by a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to clarify, this chapter isn't "The End" - there's one more chapter to go! (And maybe an epilogue though I'm not sold on it being necessary; regardless, I promise once the story is done I'll mark it as complete. :) )


	14. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How are you feeling?”
> 
> Lena’s face transformed, a teasing smile pulling at her lips as she met the eye of the middle-aged woman sitting across from her. “You have to ask me that? I thought it’d be written all over my face.”
> 
> “Humor me.”
> 
> Lena rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She wrung her hands together and sighed. “I’m nervous.”

“How are you feeling?”

Lena’s face transformed, a teasing smile pulling at her lips as she met the eye of the middle-aged woman sitting across from her. “You have to ask me that? I thought it’d be written all over my face.”

“Humor me.”

Lena rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She wrung her hands together and sighed. “I’m nervous.”

“Why does that worry you, feeling nervous,” her therapist asked and Lena pursed her lips. “Moving cities, shifting the dynamic of your romantic relationship—these are big changes. I think most people would be nervous in your shoes.”

“I’ve lived in National City before,” Lena pointed out.

“But things were different then. _You_ were different then.” Lena nodded, acknowledging the words. “And things with Kara have changed.”

“For the better,” Lena added.

“Better, good– Positive feelings don’t erase nerves. Sometimes they even exacerbate them.”

Lena hummed. “I am excited.”

“And…”

Lena paused, collecting her thoughts. “I want…” 

“You want,” the woman prompted.

“I want things to be perfect.”

“No such thing.”

“I know,” Lena said. She was quiet for a moment. “Kara wants to have a party next week to celebrate the move.”

“That’s nice.”

Lena nodded her head. “It is… But, it’s a little strange.” Lena expanded when the therapist gave her a questioning look. “Kara has never liked galas or work parties—anything with a crowd of people she doesn’t know well—she’s more of an, ‘intimate gathering with friends’ kind of person.”

“And this party she’s suggesting, I’m gathering it’s bigger than what you’d expect from her.”

Lena nodded. “She asked me for names of people I’d like to invite from work.”

“Hmm. It sounds like she’s trying to make National City feel like home, integrate all parts of your life after the compartmentilization from before.”

“Maybe,” Lena allowed. “To be honest, I’d just be happy to have her alone for a while once I’m back in National City.” The therapist chuckled. “That’s not–” Lena frowned through her blush. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“It would be perfectly healthy if it is what you meant.”

Lena rolled her eyes, her cheeks blazing. “I just mean… I’ve missed the quiet time with her. What it felt like to know the end of the work day meant the start of time with her. Our relationship over the last several months has required so much planning and scheduling… I’m looking forward to a more spontaneous existence.”

“Understandable.” The therapist took a deep breath. “You know, all of these feelings–”

“Are normal,” Lena finished. “See? I have learned something these last ten months.” The therapist smiled broadly and Lena paused for a moment before speaking. “I’m going to miss these meetings.”

“You know I’m only a video call away,” the therapist said. “There’s no reason why we can’t continue to meet once a week.”

Lena nodded. “It will just be different.”

The therapist smiled. “Different isn’t bad.”

“No it isn’t,” Lena agreed. “Thank you. For everything. I don’t know if I’d be able to do this move without the work you’ve helped me do.”

“Of course you would have,” the therapist replied, surprising Lena. “You love Kara, and she loves you. The work we’ve done together may have made your reconcilliation easier but I think we both know you would have found a way back to each other, regardless.” Lena nodded. “Now,” the therapist said, Lena looking up in anticipation. “Tell me about the new design for your office in National City. Did you settle on a new desk, or are you keeping the old?”

Lena laughed, warmth spreading through her. 

******************

“When does her flight land?” Alex asked, blowing across the top of her cup of coffee before she took a sip.

“9 tomorrow morning,” Kara said, absently playing with her watch.

“Eager?” Alex teased and Kara smiled brightly, happy to be so tranparent. “Are you picking her up at the airport?” 

“Yes,” Kara said. “She said she wants to go straight from the aiport to her office at L-Corp but I’m going to try to talk her into playing hooky.”

“Good,” Alex said. “I know how hard it’s been on you guys living apart; you deserve to have a little time at home before everything goes back to being crazy with work.”

“Oh, that reminds me; can you bring those cookies from the bakery by the DEO to the party on Friday?”

“How many?” Alex asked.

“Enough for 50?”

“You invited 50 people to your party?” Alex asked, surprised. 

Kara nodded defensively. “There’s a lot of people Lena likes from work.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Alex asked, her brow falling. “Why not just have a game night? We can order pizza and drink beer and be done with it.”

Kara blushed bright red. “Lena deserves a better welcome home than that.” She met Alex’s eye. “The last few months have been rough, with her mom and brother’s trials… She deserves to have a fancy party and feel how excited everyone is that she’s moving back to National City.”

“I suppose so…”

“We’ll do a game night soon, I promise.” Alex just raised her eyebrows and then took another sip of her coffee. “How did your date go last night?”

Alex pulled a face. “Eh.”

“Eh?” Kara asked. “I thought you said you guys hit it off when you met at the bar last week.”

“I think that was the drinks talking,” Alex said with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry,” Kara said. “But, hey, I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there.” Alex gave her a reproaching look and Kara’s eyebrows shot to her hairline. “I am!”

“Thank you,” Alex said. “It just, sucks. Dating sucks.”

“I know,” Kara said, reaching over to squeeze Alex’s hand. “Oh! I just remembered; can you bring a bottle of that scotch Lena likes to the party, the, one with the red horsey on the label?”

“Yes,” Alex replied, patiently. “Why are you being so weird about this party?”

“I’m not being weird,” Kara replied petulently. Alex continued to stare. “I’m not.”

“You’re definitely being weird.”

“I just want it to be nice.”

“And…” 

“And… nothing,” Kara said defensively with a bright red blush. Alex frowned. She opened her mouth to speak and then stopped as both of their phones rang at the same time. They looked to each other. “DEO.” 

“Duty calls.”

“Meet you there?” Alex asked, and Kara nodded, already moving toward the door to the alley where she’d change into her suit.

******************

On the night of the party, the space filled up quickly with their friends and co-workers. James and Winn brought housewarming gifts, and with J’onn’s help, Alex remembered the scotch and cookies. It was a warm gathering, with catered food from their favorite restaurants and music from their various playslists. Lena was headed toward the kitchen after welcoming yet another guest, when Alex strode up behind her in the great room, her voice stopping Lena in her tracks. 

“So,” Alex said, her voice smug. “You finally had a party at your place and let us mingle with your friends.” Lena smiled at being called out, and turned to face the woman she considered to be the closest thing to a sister that she’d ever had. Alex smirked at Lena’s raised eyebrow. “I was starting to think it was never going to happen.” Lena laughed as Alex took a sip of her drink.

“Well, I would have done it sooner,” Lena said, looking over Alex’s shoulder before looking back with a confessional smirk. “But you weren’t ready,” she whispered as she leaned close.

Alex’s face twisted in confused amusement as Lena pulled back. “What does that mean?” Lena just arched her brow, turned heel, and walked away. “Lena? Lena.” Alex puffed out some air at being ditched and raised her glass to her lips.

“Agent Danvers?”

Alex’s eyebrows arched at being addressed so formally, and she turned, expecting to see a junior DEO officer standing behind her. Her eye went wide instead as she found Sam Arias smiling at her. “I thought that was you,” Sam said warmly. “I love your jacket.”

“Uh…”

“Sam Arias,” she said, sticking her hand out. “We met at L-Corp last year. You grilled me.”

“Yeah, yes, of course,” Alex sputtered, closing her eyes and then blinking them open quickly. She reached out and shook Sam’s hand. “Of course I remember you. Hi! How, how have you been?”

“Great,” Sam said as their handshake ended. “Especially now that my job doesn’t include secretly searching company records for criminals.”

“Oh!” Alex laughed, loud and dorky, before she blushed, embarrassed by her over-eager response. She cleared her throat and hazarded a look up, thankful that Sam was still smiling at her. Alex was about to open her mouth to speak again when she was subtly shoulder checked from behind. Alex looked to the side, annoyed, to find Lena smirking at her. 

“Sam, I’m so glad you could make it,” Lena said with a toothy smile as she turned her attention from Alex to her guest. She leaned forward and gave Sam a friendly hug which was warmly reciprocated.

“Of course, how could I miss this,” Sam said as she stepped back from the embrace, her hands wide as she nodded to the party in full swing.

“I see that you’ve run into Kara’s sister, Alex, and under far better circumstances than last time.”

“Yes,” Sam said with a nice smile. Alex blushed. “I was just complimenting her jacket.”

“It is a nice jacket,” Lena said, enjoying the way Alex squirmed under their combined attention. “Did you borrow it from Kara?” Lena teased and Alex gave her a sharp look.

“No,” Alex said in her best big sister tone. She looked from Lena to Sam and then smiled. “No, it’s mine.”

“Ah,” Lena said. “Well, I’ve got a few more people to say hello to. I’ll circle back later?” 

“Yes, of course, go mingle,” Sam said and Lena smiled in return before walking away. Sam took a deep breath and then exhaled. “So, where were we?”

“Uh, well…” Alex stammered. 

“Right. We were getting reaquainted.” Sam smiled widely and Alex relaxed. 

“Would you like a drink?” Alex asked and Sam beamed.

“I’d love one.”

Alex smiled, and she and Sam started to walk toward the makeshift bar. Alex spun her head quickly until she saw Lena standing next to Kara across the room. Both women were staring and smiling at her. Kara bounced on her balls of her feet and flashed two thumbs up, which Lena subtly covered with her own hands and pulled down. Alex tried to frown at them through her smile, but couldn’t. She took a shaky breath and turned to meet up with Sam. 

Across the room, Lena squeezed Kara’s hands. “Well I think that went exceptionally well.”

“Yup,” Kara said, blushing bright red as Lena looked at her.

“Good timing sending Sam Alex’s way when you did. It was the perfect moment, really.”

“Yup.”

Lena turned to look at where Sam and Alex were smiling at each other, Alex pouring Sam a drink. “I think they’ll hit it off.”

“Yup.”

Lena cocked her head and looked to Kara. “Are you OK?”

Kara’s eyes went wide. “Yup.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yup.”

“Really.” Lena’s lips curled into an amused smile. “Because all you’ve said for the last minute is ‘yup.’”

“Yup– I mean. Yes, I’m fine.” Lena’s brows rose in silent question and Kara chuckled awkwardly in reply. Lena’s brows fell at Kara’s odd behavior. “Oh look,” Kara said suddenly. “That woman from your research and developement department that you like just came in. What’s her name? Jane? Jill?” 

Lena looked over her shoulder. “Janine?” 

“Yes! You should totally go say hi.” Lena turned slowly to regard Kara suspiciously, and Kara just smiled and nodded, encouragingly. She kissed Lena quickly and gave her a subtle push. Lena started to leave, double checking over her shoulder twice as she went. 

Once Lena was gone, Kara immediately searched the room and made a beeline toward Winn, unceremoniously pulling him from a conversation and into a corner. “Kara, what–”

“She knows.”

“What?”

“She knows, oh my god, she knows. I’m freaking out!”

“What– What makes you think she knows?” Winn whispered, struggling to get caught up.

“She’s just…” Kara flapped her hands in front of her face and Winn’s features twisted in confusion. “She’s smart and I can’t keep secrets from her!”

Winn smiled brightly and set his bottle of beer down on a nearby bookshelf. He took Kara’s hands in his own and squeezed. “OK, OK, breathe.” Kara took in a deep breath and then exhaled comically loud. “You can keep secrets from her, you just don’t want to, and, you know, you only have like 30 more minutes with this one so, chill out, breathe, and relax.”

“OK,” Kara said, taking another deep breath and exhaling. “I’m doing this the right way, right?”

“Yes.”

“I shouldn’t do it a different way?”

Winn shrugged, his mouth opening and closing. “You said that the best way was in front of the people who love her, so…” 

“Right,” Kara said, nodding to herself. “Right.”

“Do you want me to…” He arched his brows and picked up his drink.

She winced and looked first to where Alex was laughing with Sam, and then to where Lena was chatting with someone by the door. “No. No, wait a little longer.”

“Ok. Well, you just let me know,” Winn said and Kara nodded.

“Thank you,” she said with an exaggerated exhale and he patted her shoulder, companionably.

“Of course. What am I if not the world’s best wingman?”

Kara smiled brightly at him and twisted her fingers together.

******************

J’onn smiled, his hands clasped before him as he chatted with Lena near a table of appetizers. “Are you sure?”

Lena smiled. “As much as I enjoyed my adventure with the DEO last year, I think it’s probably best if I keep my and Kara’s work seperate.”

“Whatever you like,” J’onn said with a bemused smile. “Just know that I’m always willing to have the conversation. You were a great asset to the DEO, and I’d be foolish to pass up the opportunity to expand our partnership.”

“I appreciate that, thank you.”

“And, if I may speak from experience,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “You might find that working with family is better than you expect.”

Lena bobbed her head. “I’ll keep that in mind.” 

They both looked to the side when Winn loudly tapped the side of his empty beer bottle with a spoon, and Lena’s brow knit as she saw Kara walking to his side. “Speech!” Winn said, holding his hand out toward Lena. “Speech from the woman of the hour!”

Lena’s lips curled into a confused smile. She looked to J’onn, who just smiled and held out his hand. She shook her head, blushing, and walked toward where Kara was gesturing for her to join her next to the fireplace, the crowd starting to clap and urge her on. Lena stopped at Kara’s side and asked through her smile. “What is going on?”

“Winn thought it would be nice if you said a little something about moving back,” Kara said, and Lena exhaled through a chuckle. She licked her lips and turned back to the crowd of friends and co-workers staring at her. 

Lena looked expectantly to Winn, who just raised his brows and held his hands out. Lena cleared her throat and put her hands together in front of her. “Um, thank you, everyone for being here tonight. I didn’t think I would be giving a speech,” she laughed, and everyone laughed along. “I appreciate you coming tonight to celebrate my moving back to National City. I am very excited about what this move will mean for L-Corp, and me personally, going forward, and I am grateful for the opportunity to spend more time with you all.”

Lena nodded to the crowd and everyone clapped. Before she could speak again, Winn cupped his mouth and said loudly. “Now Kara! Speech!”

Lena’s brow crinkled with surprise as Kara giddly stepped up to address the room. Kara reached down and squeezed Lena’s hand once before she let go and Lena’s brow crinkled further as she noticed Kara’s hand had been trembling.

“To echo Lena, thank you, everyone, for being here,” Kara said, her lips pulled into a wide, happy smile. “I think it’s no secret to all of you how excited I am that Lena is moving back to National City.” Kara briefly looked at Lena and smiled. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I have loved getting to know Star City on my numerous visits over the last ten months.”

“Restaurants,” someone said through a cough and Kara’s smile brightened. Lena smiled, charmed as she watched Kara shine.

“Yes, I did love getting to know Star City’s various delicious food options, but, National City is home,” Kara said, looking to Lena. “And it didn’t feel as much like home without you here.” She took a deep breath and Lena’s stomach fluttered at the momentary look of terror that crossed Kara’s face. “Lena, I have loved you since the day I met you.”

Lena’s smile faded. “Kara,” she said quietly.

Kara plowed on. “I know that your moving back to National City is, in part, so that we can start the next phase of our life together, and I can’t think of anything better than to do this here, surrounded by the people who love you the most.”

Lena leaned toward Kara. “Kara, what are you doing?” she asked through her teeth, her voice low.

“I love you, Lena Luthor.” Lena watched as Kara reached into her pocket, fumbling a bit as she brought something small free, and Lena’s eyes widened when she recognized what it was. “And I am hoping you will do me the great honor of becoming my wife.” Kara sunk to her knee and held out a diamond ring that sparkled beneath the room’s soft lights, and Lena momentarily thought she would faint. “Will you marry me?”

The crowd around them gasped in happy surprise, but Lena didn’t hear a sound as she stared, shocked by the ring held gently by Kara’s fingers. Kara beamed at her, expectantly, her happy smile starting to fade when Lena didn’t reply right away. “Lena?”

Without a word, Lena brushed past Kara and exited the room. There was another gasp, followed by whispers and Kara exhaled as if punched in the chest. 

Sam started to follow Lena, stopping only when she felt a firm hand close around her bicep. “Nope,” Alex said quietly, her grip gentle where she held Sam in place.

Sam looked to where Alex held her arm and then to her face. “Lena’s my friend, she’s upset–”

“I know,” Alex said quietly. “But this is going to play out differently than you think.” Sam’s lips thinned and Alex sighed. “Just. Trust me.”

Sam considered the words and the sincere, open expression on Alex’s face. She swallowed, nodding her agreement, and Alex let go of her arm. Alex immediately made her way to Kara’s side. Kara looked stunned, her cheeks bright red as the room full of people tried to simulaneously look away and stare at her at the same time. Alex helped her to her feet and placed her hand at the small of Kara’s back. “Go, follow her,” Alex whipered in her ear and Kara turned to look at Alex with a wounded, red face. “Go,” Alex nudged with a gentle push on her back, and Kara did, pressing her lips together in embarrassment as she threaded through the crowd toward where Lena had fled.

Kara walked down the hallway toward Lena’s bedroom slowly. She heard Lena’s heart hammering in her chest on the other side of the wall, her breath entering her nose and then exiting her mouth as if she were trying to calm down. Kara knocked on the door and waited.

“Come in, Kara.”

Kara entered Lena’s bedroom slowly, wary of startling Lena further. Lena stood by the nightstand next to her bed, her hands on her stomach, her head bowed and Kara’s heart lurched at the look on her face. Kara swallowed hard and shut the door behind her. 

“I’m sorry,” Kara said softly as she came to a stop a few steps into the room, and Lena looked to her, her brow knit, her look inscrutable. “I should have warned you, I should have done this in private so–” Kara sucked in a quick breath and swallowed hard. “So if you wanted to say no you didn’t have to do it in front of everyone you know.” 

Lena’s breath escaped in a burst, her shoulders dropping. She leaned forward and placed her fingers along the underside of the nightstand, and the panel on her wall slid open revealing her safe. Kara’s brow furrowed as Lena moved to the safe and placed her hand on it’s surface. The door popped open and Kara watched as Lena reached inside. She heard a click and then a snap, and then Lena was walking toward her, stopping just feet away. Lena held her hand up, and pinched between her fingers was a diamond ring. Kara’s jaw dropped. “I was going to propose in Midvale next month when we went for Eliza’s birthday.”

Kara’s face crumpled in confusion as she looked from the ring to Lena’s face. “What?”

“You told me once that what I needed from our relationship was the Kara Danvers that was just a girl from Midvale, and that when you came out as Supergirl to me, that I lost that forever.” Lena shook her head. “But that isn’t true. You are the girl from Midvale, just as much as you are Supergirl, and just as much as you are the woman who has built a life in National City after you lost everything as a child.” Lena took a deep breath. “I bought this ring the day after Lex’s first attack on me, the billboard that hit L-Corp.” Kara’s brow deeply furrowed as she considered the timing. “I couldn’t bear to get rid of it when we broke up, and now I think it’s because a part of me hoped we’d get back together.”

“Lena…”

“I love you. You are the woman who I want to spend the rest of my life with, Kara Zor-El, Kara Danvers, Supergirl. I love you, and want to be your wife.”

Kara felt like she heard the words in slow motion and then without warning she surged forward and kissed Lena. Lena’s hand turned into a fist around the ring and she wrapped her arms around Kara, the kiss intense. Both were crying and Kara pulled away, licking her swollen lips and wiping Lena’s tears away as she did. Kara laughed, amazed as she studied Lena’s face. She brushed Lena’s hair back from her face and swallowed hard. “Your proposal was so much better than mine.”

Lena’s face contorted as she winced. “I’m so sorry I walked out–”

“Lena–”

“I just, couldn’t say what I wanted to say–”

“In front of Janine from R&D, I get it,” Kara said. She kissed Lena and slowly pulled back. “Thank you.”

Lena’s laugh was watery and she kissed Kara again. They rested their foreheads together, holding each other close. “Go back out there with me wearing my ring?”

“You too,” Kara said with a nod. They pulled apart and took turns putting the rings on their fingers. They kissed again, laughing as they broke apart. They returned to the great room hand-in-hand, everyeone’s eyes turning cautiously toward them, their conversations hushing immediately. Kara smiled brightly and held up their joint hands. “She said yes!”

Everyone cheered and surged forward to congratulate the happy couple, surprise overtaking their features when they saw the second diamond ring on Kara’s left hand. Alex hugged Lena almost as long as she’d hugged Kara. The evening shifted into another celebration, and Kara spent the rest of the evening with Lena by her side.

******************

The party wound down just after midnight, the superfriends being the last to leave. Kara and Lena left the mess for the cleaning staff Lena had hired to come by next day, and they readied for bed quietly, exhausted but happy.

Kara came in from the bathroom after brushing her teeth to find Lena beneath the covers, propped up against the headboard staring at her ring. Kara smiled at the sight and joined her in bed. “It’s gorgeous,” Lena said, still staring at the ring. 

“I had a matching bracelet made, too,” Kara said softly, and Lena looked to her, knowing that it was in reference to Krypton’s mating custom. “I just didn’t want to give it to you–”

“In front of Janine from R&D,” Lena said softly and Kara nodded. 

Kara’s lips quirked. “I’m sorry being with me means keeping my secrets.”

“It’s not a burden,” Lena replied truthfully. She reached over and picked up Kara’s left hand, her thumb nudging the diamond on her ring. “I’ll have a bracelet made for you, too.”

“You don’t need to,” Kara said and Lena cocked her head in silent reproach. Kara smiled brightly, joyfully. “But, if you made one, I’d wear it.”

“Good,” Lena said. She exhaled. “Our engagement is probably going to be in the papers tomorrow.”

“Not tomorrow.” Kara shook her head and Lena arched a brow. “James and Lois promised me a few days of quiet.”

Lena smiled brightly. “It is nice, marrying someone with connections.”

“Likewise,” Kara said, nudging up and giving Lena a kiss. 

“I can’t believe you kept this a secret from Alex,” Lena said, looking again at her ring.

Kara’s face scrunched up adorably. “I would have been too nervous if she knew. And she would have said something weird to give it away.” She rested her head on Lena’s shoulder.

“You two really are the cutest,” Lena said, kissing the crown of Kara’s head. “Thank you for staying here with me tonight.”

“Of course,” Kara said, her brow quirking. 

“You know, I’ve been thinking…” Lena shifted slightly, Kara pulling back so they could look at each other. “I know you love your place.”

“Yeah…”

“But maybe we should find something new. Together.”

Kara smiled brightly. “Move in together.”

“I know we’ve talked about it in the abstract before, but now with these…” She bumped their rings together. “I moved back to National City to be with you. To start our family. So let’s start.”

Kara smiled sweetly. “OK.” They shared a gentle kiss and Kara grinned at Lena as she climbed under the covers and turned off the lights. “How long do you think before Alex asks you for Sam’s number?”

“Sam said Alex asked her herself before she left.”

“Go Alex,” Kara said, clearly impressed, and Lena laughed. “They would be cute together.”

“Very,” Lena said, snuggling up against Kara.

“I love my ring,” Kara said once they were settled, running the metal band down Lena’s bare arm.

“Me too,” Lena replied, holding the diamond up to catch the moonlight before resting her palm flat on Kara’s stomach.

“I love you,” Kara murmured into Lena’s hair and she felt her fiancée sigh against her.

“I love you, too.” 

There was a long pause, Lena almost asleep when Kara spoke in a whisper. “What’s our last name going to be?”

Lena barked out a laugh and angled her head to meet Kara’s smiling face. “Go to sleep, darling.”

“OK.” They kissed, slow and tender, and held each other as they fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End ❤ (This has been a really fun story to write; thank you for reading it.)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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